mumps

Circa 1600, from mump (“grimace”, noun), compare mump (verb), most likely referring to the painful difficulty in swallowing.

• IPA^(key): /mʌmps/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌmps

mumps pl (plural only)

1. (pathology) A contagious disease caused by the Mumps virus of the genus Rubulavirus, mostly occurring in childhood, which causes swelling of glands in the face and neck.
   • 2002 February 10, Sarah Lyall, “Britain Tries to Quell Fear Over Vaccine for Children”, in The New York Times‎^[1], archived from the original on 14 February 2021:

     At issue is the so-called MMR vaccine, which immunizes children against measles, mumps and rubella, three potentially deadly diseases that were once common and have been mostly wiped out.

2. (dated) A gloomy or sullen silence.

• Usually used with a singular verb.

• parotitis

mumps

1. third-person singular simple present indicative of mump

mumps

1. plural of mump

Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “mumps”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

• PMMUs