zoster
zoster · zosters
An ancient Greek waist-belt for menAn ancient Greek waist-belt for men.
UK/ˈzɒs.tə/US/ˈzɑ.stɚ/
» Shingles is caused by dormant varicella zoster viruses reactivating in older adults who have had the chickenpox.
Meaning
2 senses(countable)An ancient Greek waist-belt for men.
(uncountable)The disease called herpes zoster (from the typically beltlike pattern of its rash); shingles.
More definitions
- eruptions along a nerve path often accompanied by severe neuralgia
Examples
1 sentencesShingles is caused by dormant varicella zoster viruses reactivating in older adults who have had the chickenpox.
Origin
Borrowed from Latin zōstēr (“shingles”), from Ancient Greek ζωστήρ (zōstḗr, “girdle”).Borrowed from Latin zōstēr (“shingles”), from Ancient Greek ζωστήρ (zōstḗr, “girdle”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: zostersSynonyms
2 synonymsClose in meaning
- eruptions along a nerve path often accompanied by severe neuralgia:herpes zostershingles
Word family
4 related wordsRelatedchicken pox
Lessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable