noun
cold
a common viral illness affecting the nose and throat
She has a cold and keeps a box of tissues nearby.
Etymology
Old English cald supplies the temperature word. The illness name reflects the older association of catching this illness with exposure to cold, turning the supposed cause into the name of the condition.
More examples
- He caught a cold on his trip.
- My cold cleared up after several days.
- The children brought home two different colds that winter.
Forms
cold · colds