Definition

A man-made medicine that is similar to a building block of DNA, used to treat infections caused by certain viruses, including those that cause chickenpox, shingles, and genital herpes.

Example

The doctor prescribed acyclovir to help treat the patient's shingles.

Conversation

Have you heard of acyclovir?

Yeah, I think it's used to treat herpes infections, right?

Exactly! My doctor mentioned it for my cold sores.

That sounds helpful; I hope it works well for you.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Acyclovir is formed from "a-" (meaning without) and "cyclo" (from Greek "kyklos", meaning circle or ring) and "vir" (from Latin "virus", meaning poison or venom). The word describes a compound that is without a cyclic structure and acts against viral infections.

Memory Tip

Think of 'without a circle' ('a-' and 'cyclo') and 'poison' ('vir') to remember that acyclovir is a medication that targets viruses without a cyclic structure.

Visually Confused Words