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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

coronoia en · NOUN

Etymology

Blend of corona + paranoia.

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) Unfounded fear surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19, which may include fear of the spread of the virus or fear of governmental conspiracies in the reaction to the virus.
    • Writing this piece, just when I thought I needed to forge a new word ‘Coronoia’, to suitably denote the exponential spread of irrational fears of this novel virus, I found that it has recently been suggested to the Collins dictionary, and is under consideration. [2020 April 18, Anita Rampal, “We Are Fighting an Infodemic in the Time of 'Coronoia'”, in The Wire:
    • Leaving home felt risky at first, our senses haunted by coronoia, the daily infodemic, the doughnut dreams. (Hang on - where's my mask?) Since often we'd forget that sacred cloth, suffering a brain fade on the doormat, enforcing a respirouette. 2021 November 6, “Coronaspeak so contagious it'll outlast covidiots”, in Sydney Morning Herald, page 11: