human papillomavirus

American  

[hyoo-muhn pap-uh-loh-muh-vahy-ruhs] / ˈhju mən ˌpæp əˈloʊ məˌvaɪ rəs /

noun

• human papillomaviruses
  plural

1. any papillomavirus infecting humans and having certain genotypes that cause cancerous growths or lesions, especially on the cervix: HPV.

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human papillomavirus Scientific  

/ păp′ə-lō′mə-vī′rəs /

1. A virus of the genus Papillomavirus, certain strains of which cause skin and genital warts in humans or are associated with various cancers, including cancers of the cervix, vagina, and larynx.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• human papillomaviruses
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

human papillomavirus

The immunisations recommended for all children under the order are for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus, and varicella or chicken pox.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Doctors typically swab a patient’s cervix in clinical settings to test for high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus, an infection that can cause cancer when left untreated, through Pap smears and HPV testing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 5, 2026

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2024

Novavax makes a protein subunit vaccine, the technology used in hepatitis B and human papillomavirus vaccines.

From Science Magazine ● May 22, 2023

The bill also would cover the cost of human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccinations for children under 18.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2023