Main Entry:

mea·sles

Pronunciation:

\ˈmē-zəlz\

Function:

noun plural but singular or plural in construction

Etymology:

Middle English meseles, plural of mesel measles, spot characteristic of measles; akin to Middle Dutch masel spot characteristic of measles

Date:

14th century

1 a: an acute contagious disease that is caused by a morbillivirus (species Measles virus) and is marked especially by an eruption of distinct red circular spots —called also rubeola b: any of various eruptive diseases (as German measles)2 [Middle English mesel infested with tapeworms, literally, leprous, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin misellus leper, from Latin, wretch, from misellus, diminutive of miser miserable] : infestation with or disease caused by larval tapeworms in the muscles and tissues