cowpox

American  

[kou-poks] / ˈkaʊˌpɒks /

noun

Veterinary Pathology.

1. an eruptive disease appearing on the teats and udders of cows, in which small pustules form that contain a virus used in the vaccination of humans against smallpox.

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cowpox British  

/ ˈkaʊˌpɒks /

noun

1. a contagious viral disease of cows characterized by vesicles on the skin, esp on the teats and udder. Inoculation of humans with this virus provides temporary immunity to smallpox. It can be transmitted to other species, esp cats

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Etymology

Origin of cowpox

First recorded in 1790–1800; cow ¹ + pox

Example Sentences

In 1798, English physician Edward Jenner introduced a safer and more effective smallpox vaccination derived from cowpox.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Essentially, the basic structure of this vaccine is identical to one routinely used to immunise elephants against a virus called cowpox.

From BBC • Oct. 3, 2025

Alaskapox, also known as AKPV, is related to smallpox, cowpox and mpox, health officials said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024

A century later, in the 1790s, in England, Edward Jenner invented the cowpox vaccine, the world’s first vaccine, an advancement that would transform how smallpox was treated worldwide.

From Slate • Sep. 4, 2023

He just noticed that people with cowpox didn’t get smallpox.

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green