smallpox

[ smawl-poks ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. an acute, highly contagious, febrile disease, caused by the variola virus, and characterized by a pustular eruption that often leaves permanent pits or scars: eradicated worldwide by vaccination programs.

smallpox

/ ˈsmɔːlˌpɒks /

noun

1. an acute highly contagious viral disease characterized by high fever, severe prostration, and a pinkish rash changing in form from papules to pustules, which dry up and form scabs that are cast off, leaving pitted depressions Technical namevariola variolous

smallpox

/ smôl′pŏks′ /

1. A highly infectious and often fatal disease caused by the variola virus of the genus Orthopoxvirus and characterized by fever, headache, and severely inflamed skin sores that result in extensive scarring. Once a dreaded killer of children that caused the deaths of millions of Native Americans after the arrival of European settlers in the Americas, smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980 following a worldwide vaccination campaign. Samples of the virus have been preserved in laboratories in the United States and Russia.
2. Also called variola
3. See Note at Jenner

smallpox

1. An acute and infectious disease caused by a virus and now almost completely eradicated. Smallpox was characterized by high fever and large sores on the body that leave scars.

Notes

Today, the smallpox virus exists only in laboratories.

A surface with many blemishes is sometimes said to be “pockmarked” because it resembles the skin of a smallpox sufferer.

The use of smallpox is a major concern in the area of bioterrorism (see also bioterrorism ).

Smallpox is the first disease of humans to be completely eradicated by a worldwide campaign of inoculation .

Word History and Origins

Origin of smallpox¹

First recorded in 1510–20; small + pox

Word History and Origins

Origin of smallpox¹

C16: from small + pox . So called to distinguish it from the Great Pox, an archaic name for syphilis

Example Sentences

How Onesimus introduced inoculation to America, saving hundreds of lives during the smallpox epidemic.

From Vox

More contagious than Covid-19 and with a 30 percent mortality rate, smallpox was one of history’s biggest killers.

From Vox

In the 1960s, around 60% of the world’s smallpox cases were reported in India.

From Fortune

Before then, inoculations were done by giving patients a small dose of the actual smallpox virus, hoping that they would get a mild case and then be immune.

From Time

With the exception of the smallpox vaccine, which can cause a rare but serious infection of the fetus, vaccines have been safe and enormously beneficial for pregnant women and their babies.

From Washington Post

The commander of the Continental Army realized that if he did not inoculate his army against smallpox, he might not have an army.

From The Daily Beast

In many places, it was custom to place huts outside the villages for smallpox victims.

From The Daily Beast

For example, vaccinia immune globulin, or VIG, is stored and ready for the next person who becomes ill from smallpox vaccine.

From The Daily Beast

In the 18th century, German immigrants coming to Pennsylvania boarded ships plagued with typhus, dysentery, smallpox, and scurvy.

From The Daily Beast

Shoham adds without substantive evidence that “Syrian possession of the smallpox virus is likely.”

From The Daily Beast

To-day men of science are trying to conquer the horrors of cancer and smallpox, and rabies and consumption.

From Project Gutenberg

This barkeeper had not been exposed to smallpox except by contact with the man mentioned here.

From Project Gutenberg

The unharmed had been present in sick-rooms or had even nursed the patients, not knowing that the disease was smallpox.

From Project Gutenberg

It does more: in 90 per centum of cases it will prevent successful infection with smallpox.

From Project Gutenberg

The mildest smallpox in one person can cause malignant smallpox in another, and vice versa.

From Project Gutenberg