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herpes

Syllabification: (her·pes)
Pronunciation: /ˈhərpēz/
Translate herpes | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of herpes

noun

  • any of a group of viral diseases caused by herpes viruses, affecting the skin (often with blisters) or the nervous system.

Derivatives

herpetic

Pronunciation: /hərˈpetik/
adjective

Origin:

late Middle English (originally used also of other skin conditions): via Latin from Greek herpēs 'shingles', literally 'creeping', from herpein 'to creep'

herpes in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of herpes in the British & World English dictionary