papillomavirus

American

[pap-uh-loh-muh-vahy-ruhs] / ˌpæp əˈloʊ məˌvaɪ rəs /

noun

plural

papillomaviruses

any of several viruses of the family Papovaviridae, containing circular DNA, causing papillomas in various animals and responsible for human genital warts.

Etymology

Origin of papillomavirus

papilloma + virus

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.

In the new study, the researchers focused on cancers caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV.

From Science Daily • Feb. 18, 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

Last year researchers from Edinburgh University's Bioquarter set up workshops in local schools to teach pupils about the benefits of immunisation against human papillomavirus.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2025

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023