measles

American  

[mee-zuhlz] / ˈmi zəlz /

noun

1. (used with a singular or plural verb)

   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.

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.

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measles British  

/ ˈmiːzəlz /

noun

1. Technical names: morbilli.   rubeola.  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 See also German measles

2. a disease of cattle, sheep, and pigs, caused by infestation with tapeworm larvae

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measles Scientific  

/ mē′zəlz /

1. 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.

2. Also called rubeola

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measles Cultural  

1. 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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Etymology

Origin of measles

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

Example Sentences

Mr. Kennedy has long asserted that the measles vaccine causes autism, but the CDC page doesn’t go that far, perhaps because so many studies have debunked the claim.

From The Wall Street Journal

"What parents need to hear right now is vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism," he said.

From Barron's

Though the conquistadors enjoyed superior technology, including steel weapons and gunpowder, European diseases such as smallpox and measles proved more decisive, taking untold millions of indigenous lives.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the wake of a measles outbreak in Canada that has infected thousands of people over the past year, an international health agency revoked the country’s measles-free status on Nov. 10, 2025.

From Salon

At a news conference on Monday, Paho officials appealed to Canadian governments and the public to ramp up vaccinations, noting that 95% of the population needs to be immunised to stop the spread of measles.

From BBC