A video, image or text spread by "word of mouth" on the internet or by e-mail for humorous, political or marketing purposes.
"The hilarious cat video went viral overnight as it was shared millions of times across social media platforms."
In plain English: A viral person is someone who becomes famous very quickly because many people share stories about them online.
"The viral hit song played on every radio station across the country."
Of or relating to a biological virus.
"The patient was diagnosed after testing positive for a viral infection caused by the influenza virus."
In plain English: Viral means something that spreads very quickly from person to person, especially online.
"The video went viral on social media within hours."
Usage: Use viral as an adjective to describe content that spreads rapidly and widely through social media sharing rather than traditional broadcasting. Avoid confusing this modern slang usage with its literal medical meaning regarding diseases caused by viruses unless the context is specifically scientific.
The word viral comes from combining Latin virus with the suffix -al. It entered English to describe anything related to a computer virus or spreading like one through social networks.