Etymology

measling

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Today it means: Synonym of measle: the disease caused by M. morbillivirus, a red spot caused by the disease. Full definition →

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The story

Unknown, but probably via Scandinavian forms such as Swedish mässlingen (“pustules, measles”), Danish mæslinger (“measles”), Icelandic mislingar (“measles”), etc. combining the Germanic roots related to blood blisters with the suffix -ing. In reference to delamination, possibly a separate derivation from measle + -ing under influence from the dialectal name for the disease.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.