[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/zoster/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [Z](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/z/) / zoster

# zoster

noun (zoster, uncountable)

«zoster» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (medicine) Short for herpes zoster, the medical name for shingles: a painful rash of blisters, usually in a stripe on one side of the body. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#m1)
2. (medicine) Part of the name of the varicella-zoster virus, the virus that causes chickenpox and later can cause shingles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#m2)

### In the lessons

A doctors' word; in everyday life people say "shingles". Shingles mostly affects older adults: after someone has had chickenpox, the virus can sleep in the body for years and wake up later. There is a vaccine for older people. In science, it is an example of how some viruses can stay hidden in the body. Phrases: "herpes zoster", "varicella-zoster virus".

### Examples

- Zoster is the medical name for shingles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#x1)
- Grandma had herpes zoster and her side was very sore. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#x2)
- The varicella-zoster virus causes both chickenpox and shingles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#x3)
- The doctor offered Grandad a zoster vaccine. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#x4)
- Zoster usually appears as a stripe of blisters on one side of the body. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#x5)
- You can only get zoster if you have had chickenpox before. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/#x6)

### Note

Uncountable. Pronounced ZOS-ter. It is a medical word, and "zoster" alone is a shortened form. Shingles is not the same as roof shingles (flat tiles), which is a different meaning of the word. Only a doctor should say whether someone has it.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «zoster» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/Z/zoster/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«zoster» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/zoster.html) on Mova free.