variola

[ vuh-rahy-uh-luh ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. smallpox.

variola

/ vəˈraɪələ /

noun

1. the technical name for smallpox

variola

/ və-rī′ə-lə,vâr′ē-ō′lə /

1. See smallpox

Derived Forms

• vaˈriolar, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of variola¹

1795–1805; < Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin vari ( us ) speckled ( various ) + -ola -ole ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of variola¹

C18: from Medieval Latin: disease marked by little spots, from Latin varius spotted

Example Sentences

And variola’s genome is so large that it is exceedingly difficult for even experts to assemble.

From Science Magazine

How the loss of genes would have made variola more virulent is not exactly clear, however.

From Science Magazine

Monkeypox is a poxvirus in the same family as variola – the virus that causes smallpox – and cowpox viruses and likely evolved in animals before jumping to humans.

From Scientific American

The variola virus, which causes smallpox, is the only disease to have been eradicated by human medicine.

From Salon

The C.D.C.’s campus in Atlanta is home to one of two Level 4 labs left in the world that harbors the live variola virus, which causes smallpox and was declared eradicated globally in 1980.

From New York Times