Where does “varicella” come from?
Varicella comes from New Latin varicella, a diminutive of Latin variola, from Latin varius meaning "varied" or "spotted."
varicella (English): chickenpox; Any of various other eruptive...
Definitions
- chickenpox; Any of various other eruptive...
Ancestry of “varicella”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Latin | varicella | — |
| 2 | Latin | variola | an infectious disease causing pustules; pox |
| 3 | Latin | varius | diverse, different, various, variegated |
| 4 | Latin | vārus | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wer- | to lift up; to moisten; to flow; to raise, hang |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |