PsychologyAugust 10, 2026
papillomavirus
pap-ih-LOH-muh-vy-ruhs
Definition
A type of virus that can cause the growth of warts or papillomas on the skin or mucous membranes and is associated with various cancers, particularly cervical cancer.
Etymology
The word is a combination of the Latin 'papilla' (meaning nipple or pustule) and the Latin 'virus' (meaning poison or venom), referring to the wart-like growths the virus often causes.
In the news
The word is listed among the standard childhood immunizations that the executive order includes in its first category of recommended vaccines, illustrating the scope of shots affected by the proposal.
Trump issues executive order aimed at rewriting childhood vaccine schedule
Read the full article ↗Scientific American