shingles

noun

shin·gles ˈshiŋ-gəlz

plural in form but singular in construction

: 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

Examples of shingles in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Anyone with Medicare drug coverage will get free adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, including the shingles and tetanus-diphtheria-whooping cough vaccines. —

Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Oct. 2022 Next year, seniors on Medicare will no longer have a copay for adult vaccinations, such as the shingles and pneumonia vaccines. —

Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 16 Aug. 2022 Previously, some adult vaccines (such as the one for shingles) required a copayment in Medicare. —

Jessica Roy, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 While the annual flu shot can range from $50 to $95 at CVS for those without insurance, an MMR vaccine goes for $135, a shingles vaccine goes for $179, and meningitis vaccines are a little over $200. —

Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 21 Nov. 2022 Medicare didn’t cover some basic vaccinations that private insurance does, notably the shingles vaccine. —

oregonlive, 23 Oct. 2022 The change to zero copays for vaccines mostly affects the two-shot shingles vaccine, which currently costs Medicare Part D recipients less than $50 per dose. —

Julie Washington, cleveland, 17 Oct. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shingles.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of shingles was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shingles.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shingles. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.

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Medical Definition

shingles

noun, plural in form but singular in construction

shin·gles ˈshiŋ-gəlz

: an acute viral inflammation of the sensory ganglia of spinal and cranial nerves associated with a vesicular eruption and neuralgic pain and caused by reactivation of the herpesvirus causing chicken pox

called also herpes zoster, zona, zoster