Meaning & use
herpes
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Meanings
noununcountablemedical
A viral infection of the skin or mucous membranes that causes painful blisters, most often on the lips or genitals and often returning over time.
Grammar: Uncountable and used with a singular verb: herpes is common. Do not say a herpes for the disease.
Patterns
- have/catch/get herpes
- a herpes infection/outbreak
Herpes is caused by a virus that stays in the body after the first infection.
The doctor explained that herpes can flare up during periods of stress.
Public health leaflets describe how herpes spreads through close contact.
noununcountablespecialist
The group of viruses that cause this infection, also including those behind chickenpox and shingles.
Grammar: Usually appears in a compound such as herpes simplex or herpes zoster.
Patterns
- herpes simplex
- herpes zoster
Herpes simplex is the virus most often associated with cold sores.
Shingles is caused by herpes zoster, the virus that also causes chickenpox.
Researchers are testing a vaccine against several types of herpes.
Common combinations
- herpes simplex
- Herpes simplex usually causes sores around the mouth.
- herpes zoster
- Herpes zoster is the medical name for shingles.
- genital herpes
- Genital herpes is a common infection that can be managed with medication.
- oral herpes
- Oral herpes often appears as a cold sore on the lip.
- herpes outbreak
- Stress and illness can trigger a herpes outbreak.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cold sore
- Cold sore names one symptom, a blister near the mouth, whereas herpes names the infection and the viruses.
- fever blister
- Fever blister is another everyday word for the same oral symptom, mostly in American English.
Word family
- herpetic adjective
- relating to or caused by herpes
- herpesvirus noun
- any virus in the herpes family
- shingles noun
- a painful rash caused by the chickenpox virus returning
Commonly confused: herpes or hernia?
herpes vs hernia
A hernia is when an organ pushes through a weak spot in muscle, and it has nothing to do with the virus called herpes.
Practice
Which statement about herpes is correct?
Choose one answer.
Herpes is caused by viruses that remain in the body and can flare again. Antibiotics act on bacteria, not viruses, and the other options describe unrelated conditions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “herpes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.