French pox

noun

, Sometimes Offensive.

1. (in historical use) syphilis.

Word History and Origins

Origin of French pox¹

First recorded in 1495–1505; so called in reference to the first appearance of the disease among French troops occupying Naples in 1495

Example Sentences

The most important detail is a silent presence that winds its grisly way through the story: the French pox, fulminant syphilis.

From Washington Post

She told of a person whom she regarded as a witch, whose power, however, consisted in nothing else than in the science of curing French pox, and causing the miscarriage of bad women, and other improprieties.

From Project Gutenberg

With this in mind, Seurat's immaculate technique, when applied to the representation of nudes, is suggestive of the measles, or worse, smallpox, or even the French pox derived from the older days of the bordellos of the Left Bank.

From Time Magazine Archive

The chef d’œuvre of the collection, at least in the author’s opinion, is one introduced with this flourish, but it is too long for me to quote more than the comprehensive title:—“The Countesse of Kent’s powder, good against all malignant and pestilent diseases, French Pox, Small Pox, Measles, Plague, Pestilence, Malignant or Scarlet Feavers, good against melancholy, dejection of Spirits, twenty or thirty grains thereof being exhibited in a little warm Sack or Hartshorn Jelly to a Man and half as much or twelve grains to a Childe.”

From Project Gutenberg

Nay, they poysoned his very Salt, Sauce, Meat and Drink; but being of a very strong Constitution, he held out still: At last they effected their work by a poysoned Clyster which they administed unto him, so that the next day he died thereof; and because there were some Blisters and ugly Botches on his Body, the Conspirators gave it out he died of the French Pox.

From Project Gutenberg