R number
noun/ˈɑː nʌmbə(r)/
/ˈɑːr nʌmbər/
[countable] (also R [uncountable])
- a way of measuring how quickly a virus spreads through a population by calculating the average number of people who get an infection from just one person with the virus (the abbreviation for ‘reproduction number’ or ‘reproductive number’)
- Scientists will be watching the R number very closely to ensure it doesn't rise above 1.0.
Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
R number