shingles

[shing-guhlz]

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.

shingles

/ 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

shingles

1. See under herpes

Word History and Origins

Origin of shingles¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of shingles¹

C14: from Medieval Latin cingulum girdle, rendering Greek zōnē _zone

Example Sentences

One early finding from recent studies in the Nature journals: The shingles vaccines Zostavax and Shingrix may reduce the risk of cognitive decline later in life.

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Some include textured shakes and shingles, or especially wide rafters, giving them the nickname “airplane bungalows.”

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Dona Elliott, 59, owns this combination country store and saloon, built in 1929 of clapboard and shingles, uphill from the river and hard by a narrow woodland road.

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That is because when people get chickenpox, the virus stays in the body and can be reactivated later, which causes shingles.

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The host quipped that if he would have attended the show he would have had “double shingles.”

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