# I just learnt what the word 'SARS' means in Turkish

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-learnt-what-the-word-sars-means-in-turkish/850020>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 22, 2020, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-learnt-what-the-word-sars-means-in-turkish/850020 "2020-03-22T10:06:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MaverocK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-learnt-what-the-word-sars-means-in-turkish/850020/1 "2020-03-22T10:06:38Z")

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The word “sars” in Turkish is the imperative form (i.e. imperative mood) of the word “sarsmak”. And the word “sarsmak” means:

[ol]  
[li]to shake, convulse, jar, jolt[/li][li]to shock[/li][li]to affect, weaken, upset, afflict[/li][/ol]

[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sarsmak](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sarsmak)

> **[Tureng - sarsmak - Turkish English Dictionary](https://tureng.com/en/turkish-english/sarsmak)**
>
> English Turkish online dictionary Tureng, translate words and terms with different pronunciation options. jerk sarsmak blast itibarını sarsmak shake sarsmak knock about

In light what kind havoc SARS-CoV (2002-2003 outbreak) and SARS-CoV-2 (2009-onward outbreak) has caused and has been causing, this interesting fact is perhaps not coincidental 😛 😃

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**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-learnt-what-the-word-sars-means-in-turkish/850020/2 "2020-03-22T19:25:46Z")

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The word “cultus” in Chinook trade language means worthless, useless. Apply to any cult and its followers.