measles
pronunciation
How to pronounce measles in British English:
UK [ˈmi:zlz]
How to pronounce measles in American English:
US [ˈmizəlz]
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- Noun:
- an acute and highly contagious viral disease marked by distinct red spots followed by a rash; occurs primarily in children
Word Origin
- measles
- measles: [14] Measles means literally ‘spots, blemishes’. The word was originally borrowed from Middle Dutch māsel ‘blemish’, which went back to a prehistoric Germanic base *mas- ‘spot, blemish, excrescence’. The earliest English form of the word was thus maseles, and the change to measles (which began in the 14th century) may have been due to association with the now obsolete mesel ‘leper’, a descendant of Latin miser ‘wretched, unfortunate’ (source of English misery).
- measles (n.)
- infectious disease, early 14c., plural of Middle English masel, perhaps from Middle Dutch masel "blemish" (in plural "measles") or Middle Low German masele, from Proto-Germanic *mas- "spot, blemish" (cognates: Old High German masla "blood-blister," German Masern "measles"). There might have been an Old English cognate, but if so it has not been recorded. Form probably influenced by Middle English mesel "leprous" (late 13c.).
Example
- 1. Who also wants to tackle rubella and measles together .
- 2. Measles cases seem to be everywhere in the camps , too .
- 3. Measles is also taking the lives of many .
- 4. Measles spreads very easily from person to person .
- 5. These antibodies work against the measles virus .