Herpes
/ˈhɜːrpiːz/noun
A common viral infection that causes painful blisters, especially on the mouth or genitals.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek herpes, from herpein, meaning “to creep,” because the rash was imagined as something that crawls across the body.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*serp-
“to creep, crawl, or slither”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἕρπειν (herpein)
“to creep or crawl”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἕρπης (herpēs)
“a creeping skin eruption or ulcer”
Late Latin
Latin
herpes
“a spreading skin disease”
Middle English
English
herpes
“a creeping skin condition”
Modern English
English
herpes
“a viral infection causing sores”
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