superspreader

/ˈsuːpərˌspredər/

person or event causing widespread disease transmission

The concert was identified as a superspreader event.

The concert caused many people to get sick with the same illness.

Medicine

technical

A person, event, or location that significantly accelerates the spread of a contagious disease by infecting many people.

Superspreader events often occur in crowded indoor settings.

Large gatherings in enclosed spaces frequently lead to rapid disease transmission.

The term gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic but applies to any highly contagious disease.

Collocations

superspreader eventa gathering or location where many people get sick

a gathering or location where many people get sick

Use 'superspreader' only for disease transmission, not general spreading of ideas or trends.

Always specify the disease (e.g., 'COVID-19 superspreader') to avoid ambiguity.

Coined from 'super' (intensifier) + 'spreader' (one who transmits disease), popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Primarily used in epidemiology and public health discussions. Avoid using for non-medical contexts.

super

intensifier

prefix

spreader

one who transmits

root

English Dictionary