SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Medical Dictionary

herpes labialis

play

noun herpes la·bi·al·is \ -ˌlā-bē-ˈal-əs \

medical Definition of herpes labialis

:herpes simplex affecting the lips and nose

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up herpes labialis? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

anathematize

play

to curse or denounce

Words at Play

alt-59c919f342079

'Diffuse' vs. 'Defuse'

Let us defuse the situation.

alt-59c52d6ee2f72

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

The word's origins are quite literal

alt-59c4207ecf106

Let's Talk 'Tea'

Spill it, sip it: just make it hot.

8 Words and Phrases from Boxing and Wrestling

Common terms that come from boxing and wrestling

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066

Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless

Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals

Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

young-plant-shoots

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz

stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz

Name That Thing

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz

Citation

Do you know the person or title these quotes describe?

Play the game