chickenpox

the term "chickenpox" is a compound word that entered english in the early 18th century. the first element, "chicken," is not a direct reference to the bird but is thought to derive from a folk etymology or a sense of mildness, as in "chicken-hearted," suggesting a less severe form of pox compared to the deadly smallpox. the second element, "pox," originates from the old english "pocc," meaning a pustule or blister, which itself has germanic roots. the name thus logically conveys the concept of a milder disease characterized by skin eruptions, distinguishing it historically from more virulent "pox" diseases.

Structure: chicken + pox chicken (old english, meaning the domestic fowl, used here in a figurative sense to imply something mild or trivial); pox (middle english, plural of 'pocke', meaning a pustule or skin eruption, from old english 'pocc')