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Definition of smallpox

smallpox

/ˈsmɔːlˌpɑːks/
small · pox
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smallpox Lexical Profile

smallpox Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An acute, highly contagious, and often fatal viral disease caused by the variola virus, characterized by high fever and distinctive pustular eruptions that leave permanent pitted scars, which was globally eradicated in 1980 through widespread vaccination.

Example

"The global eradication of smallpox remains one of the greatest triumphs in the history of public health."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for smallpox

• Rhymes for smallpox

• Nearby Words

smallish
smallmouth bass
smallness
smallpox
smalls
smalltime
smalltown

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the late 15th century as 'the small pokkes' (where 'pox' is an altered spelling of 'pocks', the plural of 'pock' meaning pustule), the disease was named to distinguish it from syphilis, which was then known as the 'great pox'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Smallpox. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/smallpox
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