coverage

Etymology

From Middle English coverage, equivalent to cover + -age.

noun

1. An amount by which something or someone is covered.
   Don't go to lunch if we don't have enough coverage for the help-desk phones.
   Before laying sod on that clay, the ground needs two inches of coverage with topsoil.
   The enemy fire is increasing – can we get some immediate coverage from those bunkers?
   There are overlapping coverages on your insurance policies.
   Professionally published dictionaries do not seem to have extended coverage beyond the most frequent and salient items. 2018, James Lambert, “A multitude of ‘lishes’: The nomenclature of hybridity”, in English World-Wide, page 2
2. (journalism) The amount and type of attention given to an event or topic in news media or other media.
   Through services using the Elizabeth line were increased from November 6, but this did not attract significant media coverage - mainly because it has been an operational success, […]. November 30 2022, Industry Insider, “Autumn Statement boost”, in RAIL, number 971, page 84
3. (genetics) The average number of reads representing a given nucleotide in the reconstructed sequence.
4. The area covered by a mobile phone (cellphone) or other radio network.
   The primary coverage area of a station is that area throughout which the station can be received without objectionable interference from static, electrical interfering noises, or interference from other radio broadcasting stations, practically all of the time the station is in operation. 1932, T. V. O'Connor, “Standardized Communication Aids to Marine Navigation” in Standards Yearbook (U.S. Government Printing Office), 61
5. The signal strength, reception of a radio signal.
   Mobile phone coverage is poor in some areas.
6. (sports) Defense.