MEASLES Definition & Meaning

measles

[ mee-zuhlz ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

(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.
Veterinary Pathology. a disease in swine and other animals caused by the larvae of certain tapeworms of the genus Taenia.
(used with a plural verb) the larvae that cause measles in swine and other animals, and that upon maturation produce trichinosis in humans.

measles

/ ˈ��ː��ə�� /

noun

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 namesmorbillirubeola See also German measles
a disease of cattle, sheep, and pigs, caused by infestation with tapeworm larvae

measles

/ ��ŧ′��ə�� /

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

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 .)

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of measles¹

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

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of measles¹

C14: from Middle Low German masele spot on the skin; influenced by Middle English mesel leper, from Latin misellus, diminutive of miser wretched

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

A second child has died from the highly contagious measles virus as an outbreak in western Texas continues to grow.

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Dr. Adam Ratner has heard a lot of myths and misunderstandings about measles in his decades as a New York City pediatric infectious disease specialist.

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It led to a long-term decline in measles vaccinations in Britain and necessitated years of costly studies to analyze and, ultimately, refute its claims.

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The pullback in funding is a devastating hit to local health departments, many of whom are dealing with large and novel outbreaks ranging from COVID-19 to bird flu and measles.

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He has said vitamin A can treat a measles outbreak in Texas, and has named vaccine skeptic David Geier to help study whether vaccines are connected to autism — a theory that has been discredited.

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