To save this word, you'll need to log in.
zos·ter | \ ˈzä-stər 
\
\Definition of zoster
: shingles
Examples of zoster in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web Other tiny invaders stick around—among them, the varicella-zoster virus which initially causes chickenpox but then becomes latent in neurons for the rest of a patient’s life.
—
Lois Parshley, National Geographic, "How long does the coronavirus last inside the body?," 3 June 2020 With some pathogens, such as the varicella-zoster virus (which causes chicken pox), infection confers near-universal, long-lasting resistance.
—
Stacey Mckenna, Scientific American, "What Immunity to COVID-19 Really Means," 10 Apr. 2020 Chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus, varicella zoster.
—
Julie Washington, cleveland, "Shingles vaccine and virus: What you need to know," 15 Dec. 2019 Chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus, the varicella zoster virus.
—
NBC News, "Chickenpox vaccine linked to lower rates of shingles in children, study finds," 10 June 2019 Chickenpox is transmitted through contact with an infected person’s respiratory droplets or their lesions, which contain the varicella zoster virus.
—
New York Times, "Is Shingles Contagious?," 25 May 2018 It's caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same one behind chicken pox.
—
Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Everyone Over the Age of 50 Needs the New Shingles Vaccine, Experts Say," 26 Oct. 2017 Zostavax, a live-attenuated vaccine, introduces a weaker (attenuated) version of the varicella zoster virus in order to stimulate the immune system.
—
Susan Scutti, CNN, "CDC recommends new shingles vaccine to replace older one," 25 Oct. 2017 Anyone who has had chickenpox — which these days means nearly everyone over 40 — harbors the varicella-zoster virus that causes the disease.
—
Lena H. Sun, Washington Post, "Expert panel recommends new shingles vaccine that gives increased protection," 25 Oct. 2017
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'zoster.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for zoster
zoster
nounzos·ter | \ ˈzäs-tər \
\Medical Definition of zoster
: shingles
Comments on zoster
What made you want to look up zoster? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
July 2020 Words of the Day Quiz
- Which is a synonym of mien?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Share zoster
Time Traveler for zoster
The first known use of zoster was circa 1706
See more words from the same year