pox

American  

[poks] / pɒks /

noun

Pathology.

1. a disease characterized by multiple skin pustules, as smallpox.

2. syphilis.

3. Also called soil rot.  Plant Pathology. a disease of sweet potatoes, characterized by numerous pitlike lesions on the roots, caused by a fungus, Streptomyces ipomoea.

4. (used as an interjection to express distaste, rejection, aversion, etc.).

   A pox on you and your bright ideas!

---

pox British  

/ pɒks /

noun

1. any disease characterized by the formation of pustules on the skin that often leave pockmarks when healed

2. an informal name for syphilis

3. archaic (interjection) an expression of intense disgust or aversion for someone

---

Etymology

Origin of pox

1540–50 (earlier as surname); spelling variant of pocks, plural of pock

Example Sentences

Three months after state vets seized and killed hundreds of his sheep to stamp out an ongoing pox pandemic, Kostas Theofilou fights back tears as he gazes at his empty stable.

From Barron's

Air travelers standing in line for hours to get through security might wish a pox on all politicians.

From The Wall Street Journal

What struck me instead is how ably Garbus presents what Rupert Murdoch and men like him have wrought as not just a blight on society but a pox on all our houses, including his own.

From Salon

“And they never attacked Fitzgerald, either. That’s the story he tells, but his scars are really just from the pox and scratching so much.”

From Literature

“None of them know about the list. They’ve survived things like broken arms and chicken pox and minor car accidents and . . .” Chip gave Jonah a sidelong look, “. . . being adopted.”

From Literature

Related Words

• gonorrhea
• herpes
• syphilis