chickenpox

or chick·en pox

[ chik-uhn-poks ]

noun

1. a disease, commonly of children, caused by the varicella zoster virus and characterized by mild headache and fever, malaise, and eruption of blisters on the skin and mucous membranes.

chickenpox

/ ˈtʃɪkɪnˌpɒks /

noun

1. a highly communicable viral disease most commonly affecting children, characterized by slight fever and the eruption of a rash

chickenpox

/ chĭk′ən-pŏks′ /

1. A highly contagious infectious disease, usually of children, caused by the varicella-zoster virus of the genus Varicellavirus. The infection is characterized by fever, and itching skin blisters that start on the trunk of the body and spread to the extremities.
2. Also called varicella

Word History and Origins

Origin of chickenpox¹

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

Routine childhood vaccines — which have for decades acted as the primary safeguard against measles, chickenpox, polio and other illnesses that used to kill people in large numbers — have prevented roughly 508 million illnesses and more than 1.1 million deaths among children born within the past 30 years, according to the CDC.

From Salon

Rates of DTaP, hepatitis B and chickenpox vaccination have similarly declined.

From Los Angeles Times

Many cases go unrecognized because the disease resembles chickenpox, often occurs in remote villages, and is not easily diagnosed.

From Science Magazine

Anyone who had chickenpox as a child can get shingles as an adult; the virus lives in us forever.

From Slate

That’s why it’s so beautiful that kids can get chickenpox vaccines now—that means they won’t get shingles later in life.

From Slate