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Definition of zovirax

zovirax

/ˈzoʊvəræks/
zo · vi · rax
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zovirax Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A proprietary brand name for the antiviral medication acyclovir, commonly prescribed to treat infections caused by the herpes simplex virus, including cold sores, genital herpes, and chickenpox.

Example

"The dermatologist recommended applying Zovirax at the first sign of a cold sore to reduce the severity of the outbreak."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for zovirax

Word Nuance & Usage

Zovirax is a proprietary brand name and should typically be capitalized. It is used interchangeably in common parlance with its generic formulation, acyclovir.

• Nearby Words

zorse
zouerat
zouérat
zovirax
zrenjanin
zuari
zucchini

Word Origin & Etymology

A proprietary trade name coined by the pharmaceutical company Burroughs Wellcome (now part of GlaxoSmithKline) in the late 1970s. The name incorporates the morpheme 'vir' to denote its action against viruses.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Zovirax. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 6, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/zovirax
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