measles
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measles¹
- /ˈmizəlz/ US
- /ˈmiːzəlz/ UK
Where it comes from
Either from Middle Dutch masels (“blood blisters, measels”) or Middle Low German maselen (“red blemishes, measels”), both from Old High German masala (“blood blister, phlegmon”). Doublet of measlings. Cognate with mazer & mase and Middle Low German masele & māsel. Influenced in pronunciation and some senses by mesel (“leprous, leper”).
noun measle · the measles · measels
- An acute and highly contagious disease which often afflicts children caused by the virus Measles morbillivirus and causing red rashes, fever, runny nose, coughing, and red eyes. Maybe it's the 'measles. They say they're going around the neighborhood.
- plural of measle: a red spot forming part of a rash, (now) particularly those caused by M. morbillivirus. Others take a fether, and dippe it in the saide water, and therwith they annoynte all the Measells of the Face when they are come forth.
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Synonym of cysticercosis: A disease of livestock or meat caused by the presence of tapeworm larvae.
The Swyne dyed of the Measils.
Similar: cysticercosis
- plural of measle: the individual cysts of cysticercosis.
- Any disease causing a tree's bark to become rough and irregular. Their fruit-trees are subject to two diseases, the Meazels... and lowsiness.
- plural of measle: the individual blisters in the surface of a diseased tree's bark.
- plural of measle: any similar-looking red spot, particularly (printing) foxing. Measles. When prints are imperfectly fixed, the appearance presented is very similar to that of the same disease in the human subject. Hence the name.
- A discreet assassination made to look like death from natural causes. […] they would prefer having him "die of the measles," as wags at the CIA put it, than be punished by legal means. If there is no convenient way of administering the "measles," they may even favor simply letting him go.
- Any disease causing red rashes.
- Used as an intensifier. Why the meazills, should you stand heere, with your traine...
Similar: the dickens
verb measle · the measles · measels
- third-person singular simple present indicative of measle
measles²
- /ˈmizəlz/ US
- /ˈmiːzəlz/ UK
Where it comes from
From Middle English mesel (“leprous, leper”), from Norman mesel (“leprous, leper”), from Old French mesel (“leprous, leper”), from Late Latin misellus (“leper”), from miser (“wretched, wretch”) + -ellus (“-elle”).
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: rubeola, morbilli, rubella, smallpox, epidemic, routine, mumps, rashes, catarrhal fever, black measles, hard measles, red measles, epidemic roseola, spotted fever, measlings, measling
noun
Similar: the dickens
Translations
Every language
noun disease caused by M. morbillivirus
| Español | sarampión |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 홍역 hong'yeok |
| 日本語 | 麻疹 |
| 中文 | 麻疹 mázhěn |
| हिन्दी | खसरा khasrā |
| Kiswahili | surua, ukambi |
| Português | sarampo |
| Français | rougeole |
| Deutsch | Masern |
| Italiano | morbillo |
| Ελληνικά | ιλαρά ilará |
| Română | rujeolă, pojar |
| Русский | корь korʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | sởi |
| العربية | حَصْبَة ḥaṣba |
| עברית | חצבת ḥatsevet |
noun Similar skin diseases
| Español | sarampión |
|---|
Talk about this word "measles." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/measles. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. measles. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/measles "measles." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/measles.Cite this
@misc{measles_2026,
title = {measles},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/measles},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
