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.

See Examples For:

zoster

Reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, aka chickenpox, into herpes zoster, aka shingles, does typically happen in later life.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful rash with blisters that develops when the virus that causes chickenpox, varicella zoster, becomes active again later in life.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 26, 2026

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, resulting in a painful rash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 6, 2025

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

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2024

Even herpes zoster is prone to come on after a period of worry and anxiety.

From Psychotherapy by James J. (James Joseph) Walsh

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