Meanings
proper noun
- neologismA hypothetical unknown pathogen that could cause a future epidemic.
Origin
Introduced as a placeholder name by the World Health Organization in February 2018.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Disease X. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Disease%20X
MLA
“Disease X.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Disease%20X. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Disease X,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Disease%20X.
Source: Disease X on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.