Measles is an infectious illness that gives you a high temperature and red spots on your skin.
measles in British English
(ˈmiːzəlz)
noun(functioning as singular or plural)
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
measles in American English
(ˈmizəlz)
noun
1.
a.
an acute, infectious, communicable disease caused by a paramyxovirus and characterized by small, red spots on the skin, high fever, nasal discharge, etc.and occurring most frequently in childhood; rubeola
b.
any of various similar but milder diseases; esp., rubella (German measles)
2.
a disease of cattle and hogs, caused by tapeworm larvae in the flesh
plural noun
3.
tapeworm larvae
Word origin
ME maseles, pl. of masel, measle, spot (? infl. by mesel, leper < OFr < L misellus, wretch < miser, wretched), akin to OHG māsa, a spot, Ger masern, measles
Examples of 'measles' in a sentence
measles
They have not seen a case of measles for more than three years.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Or that the nation is apparently in the grip of a measles epidemic.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
For me acting was like catching measles.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The number of confirmed cases of measles has increased dramatically this year.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Let us consider a case of measles.
Whiteside, Dr Mike Banish Headaches -how to obtain fast, drug-free relief from headache (1990)
Last year the number of measles cases in London doubled on the year before.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
RECORD numbers are seeking protective jabs in a city gripped by a measles epidemic.
The Sun (2013)
Medical teams also warned of alarming rises in measles and other diseases in the survivors' crowded temporary camps.
The Sun (2010)
And where did German measles go?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
THE measles epidemic is thought to have claimed its first victim after a young dad was found dead in his flat.
The Sun (2013)
There is a similar story to be told in vaccination, which was supposed to spell the end of infectious diseases such as measles.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It gives protection against measles, mumps and German measles.
The Sun (2015)
It's worth checking you are definitely immune to German measles.
The Sun (2012)
And you are more likely to catch measles than cervical cancer, aren't you?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Since then the measles virus has crossed the entire country, with more than 100 cases and counting.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
A vaccine against measles, for example, introduces a highly weakened strain of the disease into the body.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Word lists with
measles
Human diseases
In other languages
measles
British English: measles /ˈmiːzəlz/ NOUN
Measles is an infectious illness that gives you a high temperature and red spots.