From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Measles \Mea"sles\, n.; pl. in form, but used as singular in
senses 1, 2, & 3. [D. mazelen; akin to G. masern, pl., and E.
mazer, and orig. meaning, little spots. See {Mazer}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Med.) A contagious viral febrile disorder commencing with
catarrhal symptoms, and marked by the appearance on the
third day of an eruption of distinct red circular spots,
which coalesce in a crescentic form, are slightly raised
above the surface, and after the fourth day of the
eruption gradually decline; rubeola. It is a common
childhood disease.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
Measles commences with the ordinary symptoms of
fever. --Am. Cyc.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Veter. Med.) A disease of cattle and swine in which the
flesh is filled with the embryos of different varieties of
the tapeworm.
[1913 Webster]
3. A disease of trees. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
4. pl. (Zool.) The larvae of any tapeworm ({Taenia}) in the
cysticerus stage, when contained in meat. Called also
{bladder worms}.
[1913 Webster]
{German measles} A mild contagious viral disease, which may
cause birth defects if contracted by a pregnant woman
during early pregnancy; also called {rubella}.
[PJC]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
rubella \ru*bel"la\, n. [NL., fr. L. rubellus reddish.] (Med.)
An acute but mild viral infection characterized by a dusky
red cutaneous eruption resembling that of measles, but
attended by only mild respiratory problems or fever; --
called also {German measles}. The infective virus is called
Rubella virus, or {Rubivirus}. If contracted by a woman
during the first several months of pregnancy, rubella may
cause serious abnormalities in the fetus.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
rubella
n 1: a contagious viral disease that is a milder form of measles
lasting three or four days; can be damaging to a fetus
during the first trimester [syn: {German measles},
{rubella}, {three-day measles}, {epidemic roseola}]
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