wart

noun

ˈwȯrt 

1

a

: a horny projection on the skin usually of the extremities produced by proliferation of the skin papillae and caused by any of numerous human papillomaviruses

called also verruca vulgaris

b

: any of numerous similar skin lesions not caused by viruses

2

: an excrescence or protuberance resembling a true wart

especially : a glandular excrescence or hardened protuberance on a plant

3

a

: one that suggests a wart especially in smallness, unpleasantness, or unattractiveness

b

: defect, imperfection

—often used in the phrase warts and all

warted

ˈwȯr-təd 

adjective

wartless

ˈwȯrt-ləs 

adjective

warty

ˈwȯr-tē 

adjective

Examples of wart in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Each one is about the size of a tennis ball, yellow in color with splashes of red, and covered in wart-like bumps, thus the name. —Ari Daniel, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026

Some people inside the organization saw the warts early. —Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026

Jackson has his warts as a prospect, but there’s considerable upside here. —Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Signs of disease include warts on legs, crusty or swollen eyes, feebleness, a ruffled appearance, difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, and diarrhea. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English wearte; akin to Old High German warza wart, Old Church Slavic vrědŭ injury

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing wart

• genital wart

Rhymes for wart

• bort
• corte
• court
• dort
• fort
• mort
• norte
• ort
• port
• porte
• quart
• short

Kids Definition

wart

noun

ˈwȯ(ə)rt 

1

: a small hard growth on the skin often caused by a virus

2

: something that sticks out (as on a plant) and resembles a wart

warty

ˈwȯrt-ē 

adjective

Medical Definition

wart

noun

ˈwȯ(ə)rt 

1

: a horny projection on the skin usually of the extremities produced by proliferation of the skin papillae and caused by any of numerous genotypes of the human papillomavirus see flat wart, genital wart, plantar wart, verruca vulgaris

2

: any of numerous warty skin lesions not caused by human papillomaviruses