chicken pox

== English == === Alternative forms === chickenpox, chicken-pox === Etymology === From chicken + pox, under the influence of earlier hen-pox and swinepox, which formed larger blisters. === Pronunciation === (General American) IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks/ (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɒks/ Rhymes: -ɑks, -ɒks Hyphenation: chic‧ken‧pox === Noun === chicken pox (usually uncountable, plural chicken poxes) (now rare, pathology) The blisters formed by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Synonym: chicken pock (pathology) The highly contagious airborne disease caused by initial infection with varicella zoster virus, typically causing a skin rash that forms small itchy blisters. Synonym: varicella (inexact, sometimes proscribed, pathology) Any disease causing similar symptoms. ==== Derived terms ==== chickenpox party ==== Translations ==== === See also === herpes zoster, shingles === References === “chickenpox, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022.