Meaning & use
Syphilis
Last updated
A sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, which can cause serious long-term health complications if untreated.
See it in a sentence
Untreated syphilis can progress through several stages over many years.
The clinic offers free testing and treatment for syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections.
A note on using this word
The name comes from a 16th-century Latin poem, "Syphilis sive morbus gallicus," about a shepherd named Syphilus who was afflicted with the disease.
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