A wart is a small growth on the skin's surface, caused by a papillomavirus infection. This virus spreads through contact, either with someone else's wart or your own (known as autoinoculation). Warts appearing on the hands or tops of the feet are termed "common warts," while those on the sole of the foot are known as plantar warts, which can be quite painful. Genital warts, transmitted through sexual contact, are categorized as a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The term "wart" has been used since Old English times, dating back to the 8th century. Medically, warts are referred to as "verruca," the Latin word for wart. A common wart is specifically called "verruca vulgaris," and in some medical contexts, warts are also known by their Spanish name, "verruga."
