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

See Examples For:

shingles

Afterward, I discovered numerous shingles on the front of my roof had been lifted or blown off.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

As part of the Pharmacy First scheme, pharmacists can currently prescribe medication for a sore throat, earache, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, infected bites and urinary tract infections.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

Curevo is developing a shingles vaccine that Lilly believes could be as effective as the current standard but with reduced side effects, said Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific and product officer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

The singer announced he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a shingles outbreak that can cause facial paralysis.

From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026

The barn looked freshly painted, and some of the roof shingles were the raw pink of new wood.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker