measles

[mee-zuh lz] /ˈmi zəlz/
noun
1.
(used with a singular or plural verb) Pathology.
  1. an acute infectious disease occurring mostly in children, characterized by catarrhal and febrile symptoms and an eruption of small red spots; rubeola.
  2. any of certain other eruptive diseases.
    Compare German measles.
2.
Veterinary Pathology. a disease in swine and other animals caused by the larvae of certain tapeworms of the genus Taenia.
3.
(used with a plural verb) the larvae that cause measles in swine and other animals, and that upon maturation produce trichinosis in humans.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English mesels, variant of maseles (plural); cognate with Dutch maselen (plural), Middle Dutch masel; akin to German Masern measles, plural of Maser speck
Examples from the web for measles
  • She was often ill and became bedridden for an entire year after a bout with the measles.
  • Every once in a while, there's news of a measles outbreak.
  • Outbreaks of malaria, measles and diarrhoea have been worsened by contaminated water.
  • Other tasks, such as laying a road or delivering a measles jab, rely on the efforts of many more people.
  • measles is one virus where recombination probably did not happen.
  • Many island people perished from diseases such as measles.
  • Or better yet, a vaccine administered before kindergarten, along with those for measles and mumps.
  • measles was on the decline, pertussis was on the decline, rubella was on the decline.
  • We don't know which children would have died of polio or measles when they do not contract the disease thanks to vaccination.
  • Old diseases such as cholera and measles have developed new resistance to antibiotics.
British Dictionary definitions for measles

measles

/ˈmiːzəlz/
noun (functioning as singular or pl)
1.
a highly contagious viral disease common in children, characterized by fever, profuse nasal discharge of mucus, conjunctivitis, and a rash of small red spots spreading from the forehead down to the limbs Technical names morbilli, rubeola See also German measles
2.
a disease of cattle, sheep, and pigs, caused by infestation with tapeworm larvae
Word Origin
C14: from Middle Low German masele spot on the skin; influenced by Middle English mesel leper, from Latin misellus, diminutive of miser wretched
Word Origin and History for measles
n.

infectious disease, early 14c., plural of Middle English masel, perhaps from Middle Dutch masel "blemish" (in plural "measles") or Middle Low German masele, from Proto-Germanic *mas- "spot, blemish" (cf. Old High German masla "blood-blister," German Masern "measles").

There might have been an Old English cognate, but if so it has not been recorded. Form probably influenced by Middle English mesel "leprous" (late 13c.).

measles in Medicine

measles mea·sles (mē'zəlz)
n.

  1. An acute contagious viral disease usually occurring in childhood and characterized by eruption of red spots on the skin, fever, and catarrhal symptoms. Also called rubeola.

  2. Black measles.

  3. Any of several other diseases, especially German measles, that cause similar but milder symptoms.

  4. A disease of cattle and swine caused by tapeworm larvae.

measles in Science
measles
  (mē'zəlz)   
An infectious disease caused by the rubeola virus of the genus Morbillivirus, characterized by fever, cough, and a rash that begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body. Vaccinations, usually given in early childhood, confer immunity to measles. Also called rubeola.
measles in Culture

measles definition


An acute and contagious disease caused by a virus and characterized by the outbreak of small red spots on the skin. Measles occurs most often in school-age children. (Compare German measles.)