measles
UK[ˈmiːzəlz]US[ˈmiːzəlz]
n
an infectious disease, especially of children, that causes fever and small red spots that cover the whole body
Etymology
the word "measles" has a journey rooted in the concept of blemishes or spots. it derives from middle dutch 'masel' or middle low german 'masel', meaning a spot or blemish on the skin, which perfectly describes the disease's primary symptom. this term was adopted into middle english as 'maseles', with the modern spelling influenced by association with the unrelated middle english word 'mesel', meaning leper. the semantic logic is direct: the disease is named for its most visible characteristic—the distinctive red spots that appear on the infected person's skin.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form. it entered english as a whole unit from middle dutch 'masel' (blemish) or middle low german 'masel', likely related to the notion of spots or blemishes on the skin.
Examples
children are routinely vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella.
before the vaccine was developed, measles was a common childhood illness.
a high fever and a widespread rash are typical symptoms of measles.