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smallpox
" Oh, if I had been loved at the age of seventeen, what an idiot I would be today. Happiness is like smallpox: if you catch it too soon, it can completely ruin your constitution."
Gustave Flaubert

Meaning of "smallpox" in the English dictionary

DICTIONARY

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD SMALLPOX

From small + pox. So called to distinguish it from the Great Pox, an archaic name for syphilis.
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF SMALLPOX

ˈsmɔːlˌpɒks


GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF SMALLPOX

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Smallpox is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES SMALLPOX MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Smallpox

Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor.[1] The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, derived from varius or varus. The disease was originally known in English as the "pox"[2] or "red plague";[3] the term "smallpox" was first used in Britain in the 15th century to distinguish variola from the "great pox".[4] The last naturally occurring case of smallpox was diagnosed on 26 October 1977.[5] Smallpox was localized in small blood vessels of the skin and in the mouth and throat. In the skin it resulted in a characteristic maculopapular rash and, later, raised fluid-filled blisters. V. major produced a more serious disease and had an overall mortality rate of 30–35%. V. minor caused a milder form of disease which killed about 1% of its victims.[6][7] Long-term complications of V. major infection included characteristic scars, commonly on the face, which occur in 65–85% of survivors.

Definition of smallpox in the English dictionary

The definition of smallpox in the dictionary is an acute highly contagious viral disease characterized by high fever, severe prostration, and a pinkish rash changing in form from papules to pustules, which dry up and form scabs that are cast off, leaving pitted depressions Technical name: variola related adjective variolous.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH SMALLPOX

box · chickenpox · cowpox · cox · fowlpox · fox · horsepox · inbox · jukebox · Knox · locks · orthodox · ox · pox · rocks · scrumpox · sox · stocks · swinepox · waterpox

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE SMALLPOX

small-mindedly · small-mindedness · small-scale · small-size · small-sized · small-time · small-timer · small-town · smallage · smallboy · smallclothes · smallest room · smallholder · smallholding · smallish · smallmouth bass · smallness · smalls · smallsat · smallsword

WORDS THAT END LIKE SMALLPOX

black box · Botox · collection box · detox · equinox · gearbox · hotbox · hox · light box · lunchbox · mailbox · Nox · out of the box · paradox · PO box · sandbox · the box · the pox · vox · Xerox

Synonyms and antonyms of smallpox in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «smallpox» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR

TRANSLATION OF SMALLPOX

Find out the translation of smallpox to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of smallpox from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «smallpox» in English.
zh

Translator English - Chinese

天花
1,325 millions of speakers
es

Translator English - Spanish

la viruela
570 millions of speakers
en

English

smallpox
510 millions of speakers
hi

Translator English - Hindi

चेचक
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

الجدري
280 millions of speakers
ru

Translator English - Russian

оспы
278 millions of speakers
pt

Translator English - Portuguese

varíola
270 millions of speakers
bn

Translator English - Bengali

বসন্ত
260 millions of speakers
fr

Translator English - French

variole
220 millions of speakers
ms

Translator English - Malay

Cacar
190 millions of speakers
de

Translator English - German

Pocken
180 millions of speakers
ja

Translator English - Japanese

天然痘
130 millions of speakers
ko

Translator English - Korean

천연두
85 millions of speakers
jv

Translator English - Javanese

Cacar
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

bệnh đậu mùa
80 millions of speakers
ta

Translator English - Tamil

பெரியம்மை
75 millions of speakers
mr

Translator English - Marathi

चेतना
75 millions of speakers
tr

Translator English - Turkish

Çiçek hastalığı
70 millions of speakers
it

Translator English - Italian

vaiolo
65 millions of speakers
pl

Translator English - Polish

ospa
50 millions of speakers
uk

Translator English - Ukrainian

віспи
40 millions of speakers
ro

Translator English - Romanian

variola
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

ευλογιά
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

pokke
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

smittkoppor
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

kopper
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of smallpox

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «SMALLPOX»

Principal search tendencies and common uses of smallpox
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «smallpox».

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about smallpox

EXAMPLES

7 QUOTES WITH «SMALLPOX»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word smallpox.
1
Larry Brilliant
Smallpox was the worst disease in history. It killed more people than all the wars in history.
2
Jared Diamond
Infectious diseases introduced with Europeans, like smallpox and measles, spread from one Indian tribe to another, far in advance of Europeans themselves, and killed an estimated 95% of the New World's Indian population.
3
Jared Diamond
Measles and TB evolved from diseases of our cattle, influenza from a disease of pigs, and smallpox possibly from a disease of camels. The Americas had very few native domesticated animal species from which humans could acquire such diseases.
4
Gustave Flaubert
Oh, if I had been loved at the age of seventeen, what an idiot I would be today. Happiness is like smallpox: if you catch it too soon, it can completely ruin your constitution.
5
Barton Gellman
The CIA now assesses that four nations - Iraq, North Korea, Russia and, to the surprise of some specialists, France - have undeclared samples of the smallpox virus.
6
Edward Jenner
I hope that some day the practice of producing cowpox in human beings will spread over the world - when that day comes, there will be no more smallpox.
7
Liya Kebede
In 1967, the world health community launched a global effort to eradicate smallpox. It took a coordinated, worldwide effort, required the commitment of every government, and cost $130 million dollars. By 1977, smallpox had disappeared.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «SMALLPOX»

Discover the use of smallpox in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to smallpox and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge
Though smallpox was eradicated from the planet two decades ago, recent terrorist acts have raised the horrific possibility that rogue states, laboratories, or terrorist groups are in possession of secret stockpiles of the virus that causes ...
David A. Koplow, 2003
2
House on Fire: The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox
This is a story told by a remarkably humble man, about the extraordinary coalition that he helped to build, and the most impressive global health accomplishment the world has ever seen.
William H. Foege, 2011
3
Smallpox
Recounts the history and effects of smallpox outbreaks, describes the effort to develop a vaccine and to eradicate the disease, and discusses the possiblity of its return.
Tom Ridgway, 2001
4
Rotting Face : Smallpox and the American Indian
Before it ran out of human fuel, the disease claimed twenty thousand souls. R. G. Robertson tells the story of this deadly virus with modern implications.
R. G. Robertson, 2001
5
The Greatest Killer: Smallpox in History
In The Greatest Killer, Donald R. Hopkins provides a fascinating account of smallpox and its role in human history.
Donald R. Hopkins, 2002
6
The Vaccinators: Smallpox, Medical Knowledge, and the ...
Printbegrænsninger: Der kan printes 1 side ad gangen
Ann Bowman Jannetta, 2007
7
Expunging Variola: The Control and Eradication of Smallpox ...
Thus, Apart From Acknowledging The Influence Of National-, State- And District-Level Political, Economic And Social Structures In Continually Reshaping The Contours Of The Smallpox Campaigns, This Work Also Emphasises The Crucial Role ...
Sanjoy Bhattacharya, 2006
8
Smallpox: Is It Over?
Investigates the history of smallpox, how this disease spreads, and the impressive details of how doctors and scientists developed a cure that has saved millions of lives.
Adam Reingold, 2010
9
Smallpox
Describes the history of the disease, including how the infection spreads, its symptoms, and the introduction of the smallpox vaccine.
Adam Furgang, 2010
10
Smallpox
Discusses the history of germs, the different kinds of germs, and how to fight off germs.
Jim Ollhoff, 2010

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «SMALLPOX»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term smallpox is used in the context of the following news items.
1
German measles is 3rd disease eliminated from North, South …
That's enough time to certify German measles as the third infectious disease to be eliminated from the Americas, they said. Smallpox was eliminated in 1971 and ... «The Province, Apr 15»
2
Provincetown's smallpox victims to get official memorial
PROVINCETOWN — For years, a small group of Provincetown residents has been quietly working to create a memorial to the 14 victims of smallpox who were ... «Wicked Local Melrose, Apr 15»
3
A Cow Head Will Not Erupt From Your Body If You Get A Smallpox
And that was a time when smallpox was a truly terrifying disease. Each year, it killed hundreds of thousands of Europeans. It made people terribly sick. Its oozing ... «NPR, Jan 15»
4
Siga Told to Pay PharmAthene $113 Million in Smallpox Case
(Bloomberg) -- Siga Technologies Inc., the maker of a smallpox drug to counter biological attacks, was told to pay $113 million to PharmAthene Inc. in a dispute ... «Bloomberg, Jan 15»
5
Smallpox Drug Maker Files Bankruptcy to Fight Court Loss
Smallpox killed as many as 500 million people worldwide during the 20th century, and routine vaccinations in the U.S. ended in 1972. Source: Centers for ... «Bloomberg, Sep 14»
6
FDA found more than smallpox vials in storage room
Federal officials found more than just long-forgotten smallpox samples recently in a storage room on the National Institutes for Health campus in Bethesda, Md. «Washington Post, Jul 14»
7
'Holy Toledo': Smallpox Discovery Opens Painful Scabs
The discovery of several vials of smallpox virus at the back of a cold storage room at the National Institutes of Health have not only embarrassed scientists and ... «NBCNews.com, Jul 14»
8
Forgotten vials of smallpox found near DC
Scientists last week discovered several vials of smallpox — one of the deadliest diseases known to man — in an unused storage room at the National Institutes ... «USA TODAY, Jul 14»
9
Keep Or Kill Last Lab Stocks Of Smallpox? Time To Decide, Says …
The World Health Assembly, the WHO's decision-making body, is set to convene May 19 to vote on a recommendation to destroy the stocks of smallpox virus ... «NPR, May 14»
10
Too scared to let go of smallpox
In 1978, Janet Parker became the last known person to die of smallpox. Caused by a virus called variola, the disease is documented to have killed hundreds of ... «The Hindu, May 14»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Smallpox [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/smallpox>. Jun 2026 ».
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