Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
herpes simplex 1

herpes simplex 1

3.3
A virus that usually causes cold sores around the mouth
  • noun
  • /ˈhɜrpiːz ˈsɪmplɛks wʌn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : herpes simple tipo 1
  • Many people are infected with herpes simplex 1.

Examples

  • Most cases of cold sores are caused by herpes simplex 1.

  • Doctors can test for herpes simplex 1 with a simple oral swab.

  • Although herpes simplex 1 usually causes oral symptoms, it can also infect other parts of the body.

  • I learned that herpes simplex 1 can cause cold sores.

  • The herpes simplex 1 virus is responsible for the cold sores that often appear on the lips.

  • Many people are unaware that herpes simplex 1 can cause outbreaks of painful blisters around the mouth.

  • After contracting herpes simplex 1, she noticed small sores developing on her lips.

Synonyms

HSV-1
vsherpes simplex 1
  • Specialized
5.5

A virus that usually causes cold sores around the mouth

is the same meaning but spelled out in words not as an abbreviation
HSV-I
vsherpes simplex 1
  • Specialized
6.8

A virus that usually causes cold sores around the mouth

is the same meaning but uses an Arabic numeral rather than a Roman numeral
HS1
vsherpes simplex 1
  • Specialized
4.8

A virus that causes cold sores around the mouth

is the same meaning but written with V and a hyphen in the abbreviation

Surface Forms

herpes simplex 1 singular
herpes simplex 1s plural

Morphology

herpes + simplex + one

Knowing 'herpes' indicates a viral skin/mucosal illness and '1' signals a subtype, so a B1 learner could infer this is a specific kind of herpes. However, 'simplex' is a technical Latin label and the precise association with oral/cold-sore infection (HSV‑1) requires medical knowledge, making the overall meaning only partly predictable.

Etymology

Herpes simplex 1 gets its name from older words: herpes comes from a Greek word meaning 'to creep' because the sores can spread along the skin, and simplex means 'simple' to show it is the common, milder form. That's why the name refers to the virus that usually causes cold sores around the mouth.