Main Entry:

small·pox

Pronunciation:

\ˈsmȯl-ˌpäks\

Function:

noun

Date:

1518

: an acute contagious febrile disease of humans that is caused by a poxvirus (species Variola virus of the genus Orthopoxvirus), is characterized by a skin eruption with pustules, sloughing, and scar formation, and is believed to have been eradicated globally by widespread vaccination —called also variola