Omicron variant

• omicron variant, Omicron Variant

Omicron variant (uncountable)

1. (virology) The highly virulent B.1.1.529 strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

   Synonyms: omicron, omicron strain, omicron virus, Omicron, Omicron strain, Omicron virus

   Hyponyms: BA.1, BA.2, XE

   • 2021, Kit-San Yuen; Zi-Wei Ye; Sin-Yee Fung; Pak-Hin Hinson Cheung; Chi-Ping, Chan; et al., “SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: revisiting the most important research questions”, in Cell & Bioscience, volume 11, →DOI, page 1:

     It remains to be seen whether the Omicron variant newly identified from South Africa and carrying more than 50 point mutations in the genome, among which more than 30 are in the spike region, might out-compete Delta to become the next predominant strain in the near future.

   • 2021 November 28, Joseph Spector, “New York declares state of emergency as COVID surges: Hochul warns omicron variant is likely to arrive”, in The Journal News, White Plains, NY, page A.2:

     Hochul said the omicron variant that has stoked fears of a new spread across the globe has yet to be found in New York, but warned it is likely to arrive.

   • 2025 November 26, “Stellenbosch professor named among world’s top 1% researchers”, in Cape Argus, Cape Town, page 3:

     PROFESSOR Tulio de Oliveira, best known locally for being one of the national and international experts fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and placing South Africa on the map for the discovery of the Omicron variant, has been named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher for the second consecutive year (2024-2025) in the Cross-Field category.

• SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant on Wikipedia.Wikipedia