Poxvirus
/ˈpɑksˌvaɪrəs/noun
A genus of large DNA viruses that includes the viruses causing smallpox and related diseases.
Did you know?The first half of this word comes from Old English *pocc* (“pustule, blister”), while *virus* was long used in Latin for “poison” or “slimy liquid” before biology turned it into a scientific term.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
pocc
“A pustule, blister, or skin eruption.”
Middle English
ME
pokkes
“Pustules or spots caused by disease.”
Latin
Latin
virus
“Poison, venom, or noxious fluid.”
19th Century
English
pox virus
“A virus associated with pox-like disease.”
Modern English
English
poxvirus
“A genus of large DNA viruses, including the agents of smallpox and related infections.”