rubella

noun

ru·​bel·​la rü-ˈbe-lə 

: an acute contagious viral disease that is caused by a single-stranded RNA virus (Rubivirus rubellae) and milder than typical measles but is damaging to the fetus when occurring early in pregnancy : german measles

Examples of rubella in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

State law still would require vaccines for polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus. —Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026

Health officials said measles can be safely prevented with a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (also known as an MMR vaccine) or a measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine. —Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026

State and local health officials say neither student had received the measles, mumps, and rubella — or MMR — vaccine. —Austen Erblat, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026

Measles and rubella vaccines are given together, so rubella vaccination rates are dropping in lockstep with the decline in measles vaccination. —Helen Branswell, STAT, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, feminine of rubellus reddish, from ruber red — more at red

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rubella

• brucella
• candela
• capella
• chlorella
• flagella
• glabella
• lamella
• marcella
• mustela
• novella
• patella
• predella

Kids Definition

rubella

noun

ru·​bel·​la rü-ˈbel-ə 

: german measles

Medical Definition

rubella

noun

ru·​bel·​la rü-ˈbel-ə 

: an acute contagious disease that is milder than typical measles but is damaging to the fetus when occurring early in pregnancy and that is caused by a matonavirus (Rubivirus rubellae) : german measles see maternal rubella