zoster

American

[zos-ter] / ˈzɒs tər /

noun

Also called herpes zoster. Pathology. shingles.
Greek Antiquity. a belt or girdle.

zoster British

/ ˈzɒstə /

noun

pathol short for herpes zoster

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of zoster

1595–1605; < Latin zōstēr < Greek zōstḗr girdle

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.

Shingles is a rash brought on by the varicella zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.

From Los Angeles Times

It is caused by a reactivation of the Herpes zoster virus - the virus that causes chicken pox.

From BBC

Two months later, he was dead of a viral infection, varicella zoster virus encephalitis, which is among the conditions associated with AIDS, according to his family’s attorney, Ty Clarke.

From Los Angeles Times

Even though Drover is not a likely candidate for reinfection with varicella zoster, she plans to receive the vaccine every five years for protection against postherpetic neuralgia.

From Seattle Times

And nearly all of the viral-disease pairings involved “neurotropic” viruses—those that can invade the central nervous system, such as herpes simplex and herpes zoster and some strains of influenza.

From Science Magazine

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