measles

noun

mea·​sles ˈmē-zəlz 

plural in form but singular or plural in construction

1

a

: an acute contagious disease that is caused by a morbillivirus (species Measles morbillivirus) and is marked especially by an eruption of distinct red circular spots

called also rubeola

b

: any of various eruptive diseases (such as German measles)

2

[Middle English mesel infested with tapeworms, literally, leprous, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin misellus leper, from Latin, wretch, from misellus, diminutive of miser miserable] : infestation with or disease caused by larval tapeworms in the muscles and tissues

Examples of measles in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Of the measles cases reported so far nationally this year, 41% have been among children under the age of 5, while 31% of them were among those ages 5 to 19. —Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

But immunization rates remained perilously low, with less than a third of infants getting vaccinated, and, a few months later, the country experienced a devastating measles outbreak. —Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2024

Indeed, much has been made of Kennedy’s apparent intervention during the 2019 measles crisis in Samoa. —Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024

Oregon's measles outbreak is also the second-largest in the country, among 13 outbreaks reported in 2024. —Isabel Funk, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English meseles, plural of mesel measles, spot characteristic of measles; akin to Middle Dutch masel spot characteristic of measles

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing measles

• German measles

Kids Definition

measles

singular or plural noun

mea·​sles ˈmē-zəlz 

: a contagious disease caused by a virus and marked by fever and red spots on the skin

also : any of several diseases (as German measles) that resemble measles

Medical Definition

measles

noun, plural in form but singular or plural in construction

mea·​sles ˈmē-zəlz 

1

a

: an acute contagious disease that is caused by a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus (species Measles morbillivirus), that commences with catarrhal symptoms, conjunctivitis, cough, and Koplik's spots on the oral mucous membrane, and that is marked by the appearance on the third or fourth day of an eruption of distinct red circular spots which coalesce in a crescentic form, are slightly raised, and after the fourth day of the eruption gradually decline

called also rubeola

b

: any of various eruptive diseases (as German measles)

2

: infestation with or disease caused by larval tapeworms in the muscles and tissues

specifically : infestation of cattle and swine with cysticerci of tapeworms that as adults parasitize humans compare measle