herpes zoster

noun

Examples of herpes zoster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All the studies used in the meta-analysis aimed primarily to investigate the use of herpes zoster vaccine to prevent shingles in the general population, which may limit the ability to generalise this research to people with a higher risk of cardiovascular events. New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2025 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that shingles, or herpes zoster, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025 Shingles, or herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus responsible for chickenpox, which lies dormant in nerve cells after an initial infection and can reawaken decades later, causing painful rashes. Bryan Walsh, Vox, 5 Apr. 2025 Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a common viral infection that infects 1 in 3 people in the U.S. during their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for herpes zoster

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, literally, girdle herpes

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of herpes zoster was in 1807

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Herpes zoster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herpes%20zoster. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

herpes zoster

noun
herpes zos·​ter -ˈzäs-tər How to pronounce herpes zoster (audio)

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