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Definition of syphilis

syphilis

/ˈsɪf.ə.lɪs/
syph · i · lis
Plural:syphilises
•
Adjective:syphilitic
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syphilis Lexical Profile

syphilis Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A chronic, systemic bacterial disease transmitted primarily by sexual contact or from mother to fetus, caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum and progressing through distinct stages from painless ulcers to severe neurological and cardiovascular damage if left untreated.

Example

"Before the discovery of penicillin in the twentieth century, syphilis was a widespread and often fatal medical condition."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for syphilis

• Rhymes for syphilis

• Nearby Words

synthpop
synthy
synthyris
syphilis
syphilitic
syr darya
syracuse

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1530 by the Italian physician and poet Girolamo Fracastoro in his Latin poem 'Syphilis sive morbus gallicus' ('Syphilis, or the French Disease'), named after the protagonist Syphilus, a shepherd cursed with the illness by Apollo.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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