shingles

American  

[shing-guhlz] / ˈʃɪŋ gəlz /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. a disease caused by the varicella zoster virus, especially by reactivated virus in an older person, characterized by skin eruptions and pain along the course of involved sensory nerves.

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shingles British  

/ ˈʃɪŋɡəlz /

noun

1. Technical names: herpes zoster.   zoster.  (functioning as singular) an acute viral disease affecting the ganglia of certain nerves, characterized by inflammation, pain, and skin eruptions along the course of the affected nerve

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shingles Scientific  

/ shĭng′gəlz /

1. See under herpes

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Etymology

Origin of shingles

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Medieval Latin cingulum, in Latin: “girdle,” from cingere “to gird, cinch” ( cf. cincture); translation of Greek zṓnē “belt” or zōstḗr “girdle”; see zone, zoster

Compare meaning

How does shingles compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• genital herpes vs. shingles

Example Sentences

“There were shingles with holes in them falling off the roof,” Weidner, an emergency-room physician, said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

As part of the Pharmacy First scheme, pharmacists can currently prescribe medication for a sore throat, earache, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, infected bites and urinary tract infections.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

The singer announced he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a shingles outbreak that can cause facial paralysis.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

The results add to growing evidence that the shingles vaccine may offer benefits beyond preventing shingles, including a reduced risk of conditions like heart disease and even dementia.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

A one-room schoolhouse sided with cedar shingles stood among pines on a flat piece of land above the camp, but there were few children, and the school was sparsely and irregularly attended.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown