her·pes (hûr p z)n. Any of several viral diseases causing the eruption of small blisterlike vesicles on the skin or mucous membranes, especially herpes simplex or herpes zoster. [Middle English, from Latin herp s, from Greek, from herpein, to creep.]her·pet ic (h r-p t k) adj. |
herpes [ˈhɜːpiːz]
n
(Medicine / Pathology) any of several inflammatory diseases of the skin, esp herpes simplex, characterized by the formation of small watery blisters See also genital herpes
[via Latin from Greek: a creeping, from herpein to creep]
| herpes (hûrpz) Any of several infections caused by the herpes simplex virus of the genus Simplexvirus or by the varicella-zoster virus, a herpes virus of the genus Varicellavirus. Herpes infections are characterized by painful blisters on the skin or a mucous membrane and are highly contagious. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. Varicella-zoster infection is also called shingles. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  herpes - viral diseases causing eruptions of the skin or mucous membraneinfectious disease - a disease transmitted only by a specific kind of contact herpes simplex - an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus; affects the skin and nervous system; produces small temporary (but sometimes painful) blisters on the skin and mucous membranes herpes zoster, shingles, zoster - eruptions along a nerve path often accompanied by severe neuralgia |
| 2. | herpes - any of the animal viruses that cause painful blisters on the skin animal virus - an animal pathogen that is a virus herpes simplex virus, herpes simplex - a herpes virus that affects the skin and nervous system herpes zoster virus, herpes zoster - a herpes virus that causes shingles EBV, Epstein-Barr virus - the herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis; associated with specific cancers in Africa and China CMV, cytomegalovirus - any of a group of herpes viruses that enlarge epithelial cells and can cause birth defects; can affect humans with impaired immunological systems varicella zoster virus - the member of the herpes virus family that is responsible for chickenpox |
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