Main Entry:

shin·gles

Pronunciation:

\ˈshiŋ-gəlz\

Function:

noun plural but singular in construction

Etymology:

Middle English schingles, by folk etymology from Medieval Latin cingulus, from Latin cingulum girdle — more at cingulum

Date:

14th century

: an acute viral inflammation of the sensory ganglia of spinal and cranial nerves that is associated with a vesicular eruption and neuralgic pains and is caused by reactivation of the herpesvirus causing chicken pox —called also herpes zoster zoster