| shingle | 1. <geology> Round, water-worn, and loose gravel and pebbles, or a collection of roundish stones, such as are common on the seashore and elsewhere. 2. <botany> Shingle oak, a kind of oak (Quercus imbricaria) used in the Western States for making shingles. Origin: Prob. From Norw. Singl, singling, coarse gravel, small round stones. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| shingles | <dermatology, virology> Disease in adults caused by Varicella zoster virus (Herpetoviridae), that in children causes chicken pox. Disease arises by reactivation (usually associated with a decline in cell-mediated immunity) of latent virus that persists in spinal or cranial sensory nerve ganglia. (18 Nov 1997) |