measle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Singular form). The plural 'measles' is high-frequency.Technical/Medical (as a singular noun). Archaic/Literary (in the extended sense of a blemish).
Quick answer
What does “measle” mean?
A single, small, reddish spot that is one of the characteristic signs of the infectious disease measles (rubeola).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A single, small, reddish spot that is one of the characteristic signs of the infectious disease measles (rubeola).
Rarely and archaically, any small spot or blemish. The singular form is seldom used outside of medical/technical contexts; the plural 'measles' is standard for the disease and its symptoms.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The disease name 'measles' is used identically.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
The singular form 'measle' is exceptionally rare in both dialects. The term is almost exclusively encountered in detailed medical descriptions.
Grammar
How to Use “measle” in a Sentence
Patient + HAVE + a measleA measle + APPEAR + on + body partVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “measle” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not standard. The verb is 'to have measles'.)
American English
- (Not standard.)
adverb
British English
- (Not applicable.)
American English
- (Not applicable.)
adjective
British English
- The measle rash began behind the ears.
- A patient with measle symptoms.
American English
- The measles rash started on the face.
- A child showing measles-like spots.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in medical textbooks and dermatology papers when describing the morphology of individual lesions.
Everyday
Extremely rare. People say 'a measles spot' or 'one of the measles spots' instead.
Technical
The primary domain of use. Found in clinical descriptions: 'The patient presented with a single measle on the cheek prior to the full rash.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “measle”
- Using 'a measles' (incorrect) instead of 'a case of measles' or 'measles'.
- Using 'measle' as the disease name.
- Treating 'measles' as a plural count noun for the disease (e.g., 'He has three measles' is wrong).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only when referring to one individual spot of the rash. The disease itself is always called 'measles', never 'a measle'.
No, that is incorrect. Say 'one measles spot' or 'a single measle' (though the latter is technical).
The word 'measles' for the disease is grammatically singular (e.g., 'Measles is dangerous'). Historically plural, it is now a singular noun.
Because the disease and its symptoms are almost always referred to collectively ('a rash', 'the measles'). Isolating a single spot is usually unnecessary in everyday language.
A single, small, reddish spot that is one of the characteristic signs of the infectious disease measles (rubeola).
Measle is usually technical/medical (as a singular noun). archaic/literary (in the extended sense of a blemish). in register.
Measle: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmiːz(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmiːzəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(None directly for the singular 'measle'. For 'measles': 'German measles' for rubella.)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'MEASLE' is a Single Spot, 'MEASLES' is the whole lot.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE IS AN INVADER / SPOTS ARE MARKERS OF INVASION.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the correct usage of the singular form?