Have you ever thought about the lay term chickenpox and wondered where it came from? Or what the corresponding terms might be in other languages? Chickenpox has a fascinating etymology that can serve as an entertaining teaching and learning opportunity for busy clinicians and their trainees. Four facts about the term are presented, each of which contributes to an illustration of the history of the disease, but also offers a deeper understanding of the transmission and clinical features of the illness. Etymological and linguistic origins also illustrate how parents and doctors have observed, explained and feared the condition.