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” ( cincture ); translation of Greek zṓnē “belt” or zōstḗr “girdle”; 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

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

The evidence on the shingles vaccine and dementia comes from the equivalent of a gold-standard natural experiment where the influence of such confounding variables has been minimized, he says.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 7, 2026

Those taking the shingles vaccine saw a 20% collapse in their risk of getting dementia within the next seven years.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 7, 2026

After accounting for differences in health status and demographic factors, those who had received the shingles vaccine showed slower overall biological aging compared to participants who were not vaccinated.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

He pouted his perfectly formed lips and surveyed the splintered shingles and abandoned nets from which the unsavory fishy smell arose.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee