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measles

 - 7 dictionary results

mea⋅sles

[mee-zuhlz]
–noun
1. (used with a singular or plural verb) Pathology.
a. an acute infectious disease occurring mostly in children, characterized by catarrhal and febrile symptoms and an eruption of small red spots; rubeola.
b. any of certain other eruptive diseases. Compare German measles.
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.

Origin:
1275–1325; ME mesels, var. of maseles (pl.); c. D maselen (pl.), MD masel; akin to G Masern measles, pl. of Maser speck
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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mea·sles   (mē'zəlz)   
n.   (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
    1. An acute, contagious viral disease, usually occurring in childhood and characterized by eruption of red spots on the skin, fever, and catarrhal symptoms. Also called rubeola.

    2. Black measles.

    3. Any of several other diseases, especially German measles, that cause similar but milder symptoms.

  1. A disease of cattle and swine caused by tapeworm larvae.

  2. A plant disease, usually caused by fungi, that produces minute spots on leaves and stems.


[Middle English maseles, mesels, pl. of masel, measles-spot, of Middle Low German origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

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.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

measles 
c.1325, pl. of M.E. masel, probably from M.Du. masel "blemish" (in pl. "measles"), from P.Gmc. *mas- "spot, blemish" (cf. O.H.G. masla "blood-blister"). There may have been an O.E. cognate, but if so it has not been recorded. Probably influenced by O.Fr. mesel "leprous," from L. misellus "wretched, unfortunate," dim. of miser "wretched." Measly "affected with measles" is 1687, sense of "meager and contemptible" first recorded 1864 in British slang.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: mea·sles
Pronunciation: 'mE-z&lz
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
1 a : an acute contagiousdisease that is caused by a 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 thethird 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 alsorubeola 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
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

measles mea·sles (mē'zəlz)
n.

  1. An acute contagious viral disease usually occurring in childhood and characterized by eruption of red spots on the skin, fever, and catarrhal symptoms. Also called rubeola.

  2. Black measles.

  3. Any of several other diseases, especially German measles, that cause similar but milder symptoms.

  4. A disease of cattle and swine caused by tapeworm larvae.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
measles   (mē'zəlz)  Pronunciation Key 
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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