rubella

American  

[roo-bel-uh] / ruˈbɛl ə /

noun

Pathology.

1. a usually mild contagious viral disease characterized by fever, mild upper respiratory congestion, and a fine red rash lasting a few days: if contracted by a woman during early pregnancy, it may cause serious damage to the fetus.

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rubella British  

/ ruːˈbɛlə /

noun

1. Also called: German measles.  a mild contagious viral disease, somewhat similar to measles, characterized by cough, sore throat, skin rash, and occasionally vomiting. It can cause congenital defects if caught during the first three months of pregnancy

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rubella Scientific  

/ ro̅o̅-bĕl′ə /

1. See German measles

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rubella Cultural  

1. See German measles.

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Etymology

Origin of rubella

1880–85; < New Latin, noun use of neuter plural of Latin rubellus reddish, derivative of ruber red ¹; for formation see castellum

Compare meaning

How does rubella compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• rubella vs. rubeola
• roseola vs. rubella

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rubella

The immunisations recommended for all children under the order are for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus, and varicella or chicken pox.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Nationwide, kindergartners’ vaccination rates for measles, mumps and rubella, commonly referred to as MMR, dropped to 92.5% in the 2024-25 school year, from 95.2% in 2019-20, according to the CDC.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Kennedy has paid lip service to the value of the MMR vaccine, which combines immunizations for measles, mumps and rubella.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

The measles vaccine, which typically comes with mumps and rubella vaccines as well, is extremely effective.

From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2026

All four of these traits apply to what Americans think of as the familiar acute epidemic diseases of childhood, including measles, rubella, mumps, pertussis, and smallpox.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond