Zika

American  

[zee-kuh] / ˈzi kə /

noun

1.  Zika disease,.   Zika fever,.   Zika virus disease.  an illness caused by a chiefly mosquito-borne virus of the genus Flavivirus , typically characterized by mild fever, rash, and joint pain.

2. the virus that causes this illness; Zika virus.

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Etymology

Origin of Zika

First recorded in 1950–55, Zika is from the Luganda word zika “overgrown”; the virus was first identified in a rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest in Uganda

Example Sentences

Beyond being irritating, mosquitoes spread dangerous diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and Zika, which together cause more than 700,000 deaths each year.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

The WHO helped eradicate smallpox, established a framework that led to a dramatic worldwide reduction in tobacco use and helped control numerous pandemics, from Ebola to mpox to Zika.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

After all, this was the year that brought Brexit, the Zika virus outbreak and the deaths of David Bowie, George Michael and Prince.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

The World Health Organization has described Nipah in its top ten priority diseases, along with pathogens like Covid-19 and Zika, because of its potential to trigger an epidemic.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026

Polluted air, bacteria-infested water, and the Zika virus.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad