mumps Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an acute contagious viral disease characterized by fever and by swelling of the parotid glands
    epidemic parotitis.

WordNet

Mumps noun
Etymology
Prov. E. mump to be sulky. Cf. Mump, Mumble, and Mum.
Definitions
  1. pl. Sullenness; silent displeasure; the sulks. Skinner.
  2. Prob. so called from the patient's appearance. (Med.) A specific infectious febrile disorder characterized by a nonsuppurative inflammation of the parotid glands; epidemic or infectious parotitis.

Webster 1913