German measles

noun

Pathology.

1. rubella.

German measles

noun

1. (functioning as singular) a nontechnical name for rubella

German measles

1. An infectious disease caused by the rubella virus of the genus Rubivirus, characterized by mild fever and skin rash. German measles can cause congenital defects if a woman is exposed during early pregnancy.

2. Also called rubella

German measles

1. An acute and contagious disease, caused by a virus, producing symptoms milder than those usually associated with measles.

German measles can cause severe congenital defects in the developing embryo or fetus of a woman who contracts the disease in her first three months of pregnancy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of German measles¹

First recorded in 1840–50