common cold

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ˈcom•mon ˈcold, n. [countable* often: the + ~]

1. cold (def. 14).

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

com′mon cold′, 

1. Pathology cold (def. 24).

• 1780–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

common cold noun

1. a mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, characterized by sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, nasal congestion, sore throat, etc