The fact of influence of extra linguistic factors on coining and functioning of new words is thoroughly consid-ered by researchers of neology processes. The importance and validity of this correlation is determined by the social nature of language. The traditional distinction of the types of word formation into major and minor ones can be reconsidered because of the increase in the productivity of a particular word coining pattern due to emerging of some extra linguistic determining factors. Purpose. According to the stated above, the purpose of the present paper is to explore how the pandemic of COVID-19 influenced the fact of introducing new words in-to the English language giving special examination to the process and types of coining new words. Materials and methods. By means of continuous sampling method new words were selected from the authentic on-line dictionaries. The data collected were analysed to reveal their semantic group correlation and the prevailing type of word coining using semantic, word formation and statistical analyses. Research results. The analyses showed the semantic correlation of the newly formed words with COVID-19 and stated blending as the most productive pattern of word formation, which is traditionally considered as a minor type of word coining. Conclusion. The phenomenon of pandemic of COVID-19 turned out to be an important factor influencing semantic and word coining characteristics of new lexical units in English and changed traditional concept of classifying the types of word formation. The phenomenon is worth considering in perspective.