Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A spot or an excrescence on a tree. See measles, 3.
  • noun An individual Cysticercus cellulosæ, the larval or scoleciform stage of the pork-tapeworm, Tænia solium, producing the disease called measles in swine (but not human measles); hence, any similar larva.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete A leper.
  • noun (Zoöl.) A tapeworm larva. See 2d measles, 4.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun obsolete A leper.
  • noun A tapeworm larva.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French mesel ("leprous"), from Latin misellus ("wretched", "unfortunate"), diminutive of miser ("wretched", "sick").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word measle.

Examples

  • The use of graphical reports enable the user to easily identify the most frequently occurring defects - these are often regarded as 'measle' charts.

    Manufacturingtalk - manufacturing industry news 2010

  • The use of graphical reports enable the user to easily identify the most frequently occurring defects - these are often regarded as 'measle' charts.

    Manufacturingtalk - manufacturing industry news 2010

  • The use of graphical reports enable the user to easily identify the most frequently occurring defects - these are often regarded as 'measle' charts.

    Manufacturingtalk - manufacturing industry news 2010

  • The use of graphical reports enable the user to easily identify the most frequently occurring defects - these are often regarded as 'measle' charts.

    Manufacturingtalk - manufacturing industry news 2010

  • I waited for results; NO/Zip/Nada metal in him, rather he looked "sand blasted", measle-like spots on him that didn't even make holes in the uniform.

    Bane Ashley 2010

  • For Urabe Am9 that is 20,000 TCID50, or should it be 1000 TCID50 of the Schwarz measle vaccine virus strain?

    On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with... 2008

  • DOBBS: Well, they ought to talk to them about it, because every one of the governors who hasn't got the sense to do what is best for his or her citizens and do what's best at the same time for national security and the national interest, they're a bunch of just weaselly (ph), measle (ph) - mouthed son of a guns anyway.

    CNN Transcript Mar 27, 2008 2008

  • But i love the idea of the measle map & our kids absolutely love watching their maps grow :

    Readers of E-Learning Blog Who Are You? Julie Lindsay 2006

  • Fleur knew how catching the word was; it would run like a measle round the ring, and Birdigal would be no more!

    The White Monkey 2004

  • Maybe measle spots will be in style now that I'm sporting them.

    wilberteets Diary Entry wilberteets 2004

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • "So it befell many years agone there fell upon her a malady; and when she had lain a great while she fell unto a measle, and of no leech she could have no remedy."

    - Thomas Malory, 'The Holy Grail'.

    September 14, 2009