noun
smallpox
SMAWL-poks
noun
1
A severe, often fatal infectious disease caused by the variola virus, eradicated worldwide in the 1970s.
"Smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases in human history before vaccination wiped it out."
How to Use Smallpox
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA now-eradicated and once deadly viral disease that left survivors with permanent scarring.
Common pairings
smallpox vaccine
smallpox outbreak
Word Forms
smallpoxes plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “smallpox”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ was one of the deadliest diseases in human history before vaccination wiped it out.
Etymology
Named "small" pox to distinguish it from the "great pox," an old name for syphilis.