Definitions for measlesˈmi zəlz

This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word measles

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

mea•slesˈmi zəlz(n.)

  1. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) an acute infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus, characterized by small red spots, fever, and coldlike symptoms, usu. occurring in childhood; rubeola. any of certain other eruptive diseases, esp. rubella.

    Category: Pathology

  2. a disease mostly of domestic swine caused by tapeworm larvae in the flesh. the larvae.

    Category: Veterinary Science

Origin of measles:

1275–1325; alter. of maseles (pl.), prob. < MD masel; akin to G Masern measles, pl. of Maser speck

Princeton's WordNet

  1. measles, rubeola, morbilli(noun)


Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

  1. measles(noun)ˈmi zəlz

    a disease causing a high fever and red spots on the body

Webster Dictionary

  1. Measles(noun)

    leprosy; also, a leper

  2. Measles(noun)


  3. Measles(noun)


  4. Measles(noun)

    a disease of trees

  5. Measles(noun)



  1. Measles

    Measles is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a generalized, maculopapular, erythematous skin rash, the symptom for which measles is best known. Measles is spread through respiration, and is highly contagious—90% of people without immunity sharing living space with an infected person will catch it. An asymptomatic incubation period occurs nine to twelve days from initial exposure. The period of infectivity has not been definitively established, some saying it lasts from two to four days prior, until two to five days following the onset of the rash, whereas others say it lasts from two to four days prior until the complete disappearance of the rash.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Measles


Translations for measles

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

measles(noun singular)

an infectious disease accompanied by red spots on the skin

People usually get measles in childhood.

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