Pronunciation: [pˈɒk] (IPA) 
The word "pock" is spelled with a single "o" followed by a "ck" combination. The phonetic transcription of this word is /pɑk/. The "o" sound is pronounced as /ɑ/, which is similar to the "a" sound in "father". The "ck" combination is pronounced as /k/, and is a common way to spell the sound at the end of words like "lock" or "back". "Pock" refers to a small blister or pimple on the skin, often caused by a virus.
The term "pock" primarily refers to a small, round, or oval-shaped hollow depressions or marks that appear on the skin or on the surface of certain substances, often as a result of disease, infection, or injury. In a medical context, pocks are specifically associated with contagious diseases such as smallpox, chickenpox, or measles. These pocks typically appear as raised, red, blister-like papules that eventually form scabs, leaving behind characteristic pitted scars on the skin.
In a wider sense, "pock" can also be used to represent similar indentations or cavities found on various materials apart from the human skin. For instance, one might refer to the pocks on the surface of a fruit or vegetable, such as a strawberry or potato, caused by insect damage or disease. Additionally, pocks can also be encountered on hard surfaces like metal, wood, or rocks due to erosion, corrosion, or impact.
Overall, the term "pock" denotes small hollows or depressions that are formed on the skin or other surfaces as a result of various factors, including infections, diseases, trauma, or natural processes.
The specific pustular cutaneous lesion of smallpox.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
A pustule or small bubble on the skin full of morbid matter in an eruptive disease, as the small-pox.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "pock" traces back to Middle English, where it was derived from the Old English word "pocc", meaning a pustule or blister. The Old English term was further similar to the Old Frisian and Middle Dutch words "pok" and "poc", respectively. The ultimate origin of the word is uncertain, though there are some suggestions that it might be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "*pukaz", which also meant a swelling or blister.
