cold sore
noun
a vesicular eruption on the face, usually on or near the mouth, often accompanying a cold or a febrile condition; herpes simplex.
cold sores
-
pluralof cold sore.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That can spread nasty infections like cold sores.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
And then, as winter turns to spring, I develop, for the first time, cold sores at the edges of my lips.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
The biotech’s experimental cancer treatment is a genetically engineered version of the Herpes Simplex Virus type 1, the same virus that causes cold sores.
From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026
When both engineered and unmodified herpesviruses were inoculated into mice, the gene drive converted up to 90% of the viruses—possibly enough to prevent an HSV-1 infection from causing symptoms such as painful cold sores.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 14, 2023
I shove the half-lemon in, shove Grandma out, tell myself the English bloke has glandular fever, cold sores, and tooth decay, the trifecta of unkissability, like every other hot male in Lost Cove.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
