herpes-zóster
/ˌɛʁ.piˈzɔs.teʁ/masculine
In Portuguese, shingles is herpes-zóster. Wiktionary also lists cobrão.
Meaning: herpes zoster (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| herpes-zóster | /ˌɛʁ.piˈzɔs.teʁ/ (Brazil) /ˌɛɾ.piˈzɔs.teɾ/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
| cobrão | /koˈbɾɐ̃w̃/ (Brazil) /kuˈbɾɐ̃w̃/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
The term refers to the medical condition known as herpes zoster.
Which one should you use?
Use the medical term herpes-zóster in formal or clinical contexts, whereas cobrão is used in casual conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
herpes-zóster is the appropriate term for formal or clinical situations, while cobrão is an informal way to refer to the condition.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the term telhas de barro is occasionally used to refer to clay shingles.
How does it change in a sentence?
herpes-zóster is a masculine noun and is typically preceded by the masculine article o.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˌɛʁ.piˈzɔs.teʁ/. The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The informal term cobrão literally means 'big snake'. This refers to the way the rash appears to crawl across the skin in a line.
- The word cobrão is an augmentative form of cobra, meaning 'snake'. In Portuguese, adding the suffix -ão often increases the size or intensity of the object.
- In Portuguese, the word herpes is used for both the common cold sore and the more severe herpes-zóster, requiring the second word to distinguish the two.
Examples in context
- As telhas utilizadas nesta construção são de ótima qualidade.The shingles used in this construction are of excellent quality.
- Acho que as telhas de asfalto seriam uma boa opção para o nosso telhado.I think asphalt shingles would be a good option for our roof.
- Vamos precisar comprar algumas telhas americanas para a reforma.We'll need to buy some American shingles for the renovation.
- O médico diagnosticou herpes-zóster.The doctor diagnosed shingles.
- Ele está com sintomas de herpes-zóster.He has symptoms of shingles.
- O herpes-zóster pode ser muito doloroso.Shingles can be very painful.
Example conversation
Juliana and Gabriel are talking about a colleague's health.
- JulianaVocê sabe por que o Pedro se afastou?Do you know why Pedro took time off?
- GabrielSim, ele está com herpes-zóster.Yes, he has shingles.
- JulianaNossa, espero que ele melhore logo.Oh, I hope he gets better soon.
- GabrielEle está em repouso total.He is on total rest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shingles” translations and entries herpes-zóster, cobrão, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
