: 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
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The measles vaccine was licensed in 1963 and the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine that is most commonly used first became widely available in the US in the 1970s.
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Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
State law requires children entering school to be vaccinated against polio, measles, mumps and rubella and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
The pediatricians’ group also continues to recommend the long-standing practice of a single shot combining the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and varicella vaccines in order to limit the number of jabs children get.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Health experts say the declining rate of Americans who receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine contributes overwhelmingly to the spread of measles.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 26 Jan. 2026
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Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
State law requires children entering school to be vaccinated against polio, measles, mumps and rubella and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
The pediatricians’ group also continues to recommend the long-standing practice of a single shot combining the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and varicella vaccines in order to limit the number of jabs children get.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Health experts say the declining rate of Americans who receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine contributes overwhelmingly to the spread of measles.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rubella
Cite this Entry
“Rubella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubella. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rubella
noun
ru·bel·la
rü-ˈbel-ə 
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
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