varicella

noun

var·​i·​cel·​la ˌver-ə-ˈse-lə 

ˌva-rə-

: chickenpox

Examples of varicella in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most children instead receive a measles, mumps, and rubella shot (MMR) and a separate vaccine against varicella (chickenpox). — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026

The varicella-zoster virus causes both chickenpox and shingles. — Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 28 June 2026

Health experts have emphasized that the best protection against the disease is the vaccine, which can be given by itself, as part of an MMR vaccine or as part of the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) shot. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 13 May 2026

The comparison is pretty accurate—shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox, varicella zoster, which can stay dormant for decades after those itchy red spots are gone. — Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from vari- (in variola variola) + Medieval Latin -cella, diminutive suffix (extracted from nouns such as nāvicella, diminutive of Latin nāvicula "boat," diminutive of nāvis "ship")

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for varicella

• arabella
• bartonella
• bordetella
• cinderella
• citronella
• columella
• isabella
• klebsiella
• legionella
• mozzarella
• pasteurella
• salmonella

Medical Definition

varicella

noun

var·​i·​cel·​la ˌvar-ə-ˈsel-ə 

: chickenpox