herpes

noun

her·​pes ˈhər-(ˌ)pēz How to pronounce herpes (audio)
: any of several inflammatory diseases of the skin caused by herpesviruses and characterized by clusters of vesicles
especially : herpes simplex
herpetic adjective

Examples of herpes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For example, the implants may have been contaminated with antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus, herpes B virus, and other pathogens. Justine Calma, The Verge, 9 Feb. 2023 This is especially true if your cat is positive for feline herpes virus. Dallas News, 22 Dec. 2022 Kelly could be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars more to pay for herpes treatment and counseling for a second victim once the final tally is calculated. Tom Hays, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2022 Three of the people reported no symptoms, while another reported a painful rash, which was misdiagnosed as herpes. Brenda Goodman, CNN, 31 Jan. 2023 The team screened 3,000 archaeological digs and found evidence for herpes in four. Jason P. Dinh, Discover Magazine, 27 July 2022 Theranos executives described their innovation as the ability to diagnose everything from cancer to heart disease or herpes from extremely small amounts of blood. Steve Brozak, STAT, 8 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'herpes.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek herpēs, from herpein to creep — more at serpent

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of herpes was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near herpes

Cite this Entry

“Herpes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herpes. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

herpes

noun
her·​pes ˈhər-(ˌ)pēz How to pronounce herpes (audio)
: any of several virus diseases (as herpes simplex) marked by the formation of blisters on the skin or mucous membranes and caused by herpesviruses

Medical Definition

herpes

noun
her·​pes ˈhər-(ˌ)pēz How to pronounce herpes (audio)
: any of several inflammatory diseases of the skin caused by herpesviruses and characterized by clusters of vesicles
especially : herpes simplex

More from Merriam-Webster on herpes

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