Definition of smallpox
: 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
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Recent Examples of smallpox from the Web
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The Canadian researchers are working with the pharmaceutical company Tonix to develop a smallpox vaccine.
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The researchers theorized that clusters of small holes present in diseases such as smallpox, measles, typhus, and others could cause an outsized reaction for trypophobes who saw similar patterns in everyday objects.
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As the BBC reported in May, scientists suspect smallpox and the bubonic plague are trapped in Siberian ice, too — an abridged history of devastating human sickness, left out like egg salad in the Arctic sun.
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As the BBC reported in May, scientists suspect smallpox and the bubonic plague are trapped in Siberian ice, too — an abridged history of devastating human sickness, left out like egg salad in the Arctic sun.
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As the BBC reported in May, scientists suspect smallpox and the bubonic plague are trapped in Siberian ice, too — an abridged history of devastating human sickness, left out like egg salad in the Arctic sun.
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How Canadian researchers reconstituted an extinct poxvirus for $100,000 using mail-order DNA Eradicating smallpox, one of the deadliest diseases in history, took humanity decades and cost billions of dollars.
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Only a few hundred years ago the world's most feared disease was smallpox.
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This effort was aided by the fact that a new bacteriological laboratory had been created at the smallpox hospital to test vaccines from several suppliers, until one was found to be both effective and safe.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smallpox.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of smallpox
circa 1562
SMALLPOX Defined for English Language Learners
smallpox
playDefinition of smallpox for English Language Learners
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: a serious disease that causes fever and a rash and often death
SMALLPOX Defined for Kids
smallpox
playDefinition of smallpox for Students
: a sometimes deadly disease in which fever and skin rash occur and which is believed to have been wiped out worldwide by vaccination
Medical Dictionary
smallpox
playMedical Definition of smallpox
: an acute contagious febrile disease of humans that is caused by a poxvirus of the genus Orthopoxvirus (species Variola virus), is characterized by skin eruption with pustules, sloughing, and scar formation, and is believed to have been eradicated globally by widespread vaccination—called also variola; see variola major, variola minor
Learn More about smallpox
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See words that rhyme with smallpox Spanish Central: Translation of smallpox Nglish: Translation of smallpox for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of smallpox for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about smallpox
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