/mee"zeuhlz/ , n.
1. ( used with a sing. or pl. v. ) Pathol.
a. an acute infectious disease occurring mostly in children, characterized by catarrhal and febrile symptoms and an eruption of small red spots; rubeola.
b. any of certain other eruptive diseases. Cf. German measles .
2. Vet. Pathol. a disease in swine and other animals caused by the larvae of certain tapeworms of the genus Taenia.
3. ( used with a pl. v. ) the larvae that cause measles in swine and other animals, and that upon maturation produce trichinosis in humans.
[ 1275-1325; ME mesels, var. of maseles (pl.); c. D maselen (pl.), MD masel; akin to G Masern measles, pl. of Maser speck ]