First Known Use: 1679
Dictionary
yaws
noun plural but singular or plural in construction \ˈyȯz\
Definition of YAWS
: a contagious tropical disease caused by a spirochete (Treponema pertenue) closely resembling the causative agent of syphilis and marked by infectious ulcerative skin lesions with later bone involvement —called also frambesia
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Origin of YAWS
probably from an English-based creole of the Caribbean
Medical Dictionary
yaws
noun plural but singular or plural in construction \ˈyȯz\
Medical Definition of YAWS
: an infectious contagious tropical disease that is caused by a spirochete of the genus Treponema (T. pertenue) and that is characterized by a primary ulcerating lesion on the skin followed by a secondary stage in which ulcers develop all over the body and by a third stage in which the bones are involved—called also frambesia, pian
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