chicken pox

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See also: chickenpox

English

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A child with chicken pox

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From chicken + pox, under the influence of earlier hen-pox and swinepox, which formed larger blisters.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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chicken pox (usually uncountable, plural chicken poxes)

  1. (now rare, pathology) The blisters formed by the varicella zoster virus (VZV).
    Synonym: chicken pock
  2. (pathology) The highly contagious airborne disease caused by initial infection with varicella zoster virus, typically causing a skin rash that forms small itchy blisters.
    Synonym: varicella
    • 2009 May 7, New York Times, page A12:
      Chickenpox parties, at which children gather so they can all be infected by a child who has the pox, are often held by parents who distrust chickenpox vaccine or want their children to have the stronger immunity that surviving a full-blown infection affords.
  3. (inexact, sometimes proscribed, pathology) Any disease causing similar symptoms.

Derived terms

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See also

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References

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