human papillomavirus

noun

: any of numerous papillomaviruses (as of the genera Alphapapillomavirus, Betapapillomavirus, and Gammapapillomavirus) that cause various human papillomas (such as genital warts and plantar warts) and include some associated with the production of human cancer

—abbreviation HPV

Examples of human papillomavirus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Every year, 13,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer, which is almost always caused by HPV, or human papillomavirus. —Liz Szabo, NBC News, 22 Mar. 2025

No longer included are discussions on cytomegalovirus vaccine, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, Lyme disease vaccine, meningococcal vaccine and pneumococcal vaccines. —Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 18 June 2025

Sirota says some patients are worried about access to the HPV vaccine, which protects against human papillomavirus. —Maria Godoy, NPR, 30 Mar. 2025

For this meeting, taking place June 25-26, 2025, vaccines for COVID-19, human papillomavirus, influenza and other infectious diseases were on the schedule. —Terri Levien, The Conversation, 25 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for human papillomavirus

• adenovirus
• baculovirus
• coronavirus
• enterovirus
• poliovirus
• antivirus
• herpesvirus
• parvovirus
• reovirus
• retrovirus
• rhinovirus
• rotavirus

Medical Definition

human papillomavirus

noun

: a double-stranded DNA virus of the genus Papillomavirus (species Human papillomavirus) that has numerous genotypes causing various human warts (as the common warts of the extremities, plantar warts, and genital warts) including some associated with the production of cervical cancer

called also HPV