n.
Pronunciation: ' m ē -z ə lz
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
Etymology: Middle English meseles, plural of mesel measles, spot characteristic of measles; akin to Middle Dutch masel spot characteristic of measles
Date: 14th century
1 a : an acute contagious disease that is caused by a morbillivirus (species Measles virus ) and is marked especially by an eruption of distinct red circular spots b : any of various eruptive diseases (as German measles)
2 [Middle English mesel infested with tapeworms, literally, leprous, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin misellus leper, from Latin, wretch, from misellus, diminutive of miser miserable] : infestation with or disease caused by larval tapeworms in the muscles and tissues