: an acute contagious viral disease that is caused by a single-stranded RNA virus (Rubivirus rubellae) and milder than typical measles but is damaging to the fetus when occurring early in pregnancy : german measles
Examples of rubella in a Sentence
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The last time there were more than 2,000 cases reported in one year was in 1992, just a couple years after health leaders updated recommendations to say that children should get two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine instead of just one.
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Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Less than 93% of kindergartners received two doses of the combination measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for the 2024-25 school year compared with 95% for the 2019-2020 school year.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 30 Dec. 2025
Those officials also urged anyone without a vaccination to get immunized with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Residents who are unvaccinated against the measles are urged to get immunized with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
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Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Less than 93% of kindergartners received two doses of the combination measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for the 2024-25 school year compared with 95% for the 2019-2020 school year.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 30 Dec. 2025
Those officials also urged anyone without a vaccination to get immunized with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Residents who are unvaccinated against the measles are urged to get immunized with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rubella
Cite this Entry
“Rubella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubella. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rubella
noun
ru·bel·la
rü-ˈbel-ə 
Medical Definition
rubella
noun
ru·bel·la
rü-ˈbel-ə
: an acute contagious disease that is milder than typical measles but is damaging to the fetus when occurring early in pregnancy and that is caused by a matonavirus (Rubivirus rubellae) : german measles see maternal rubella
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