Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Resembling the rash of measles: Used in medical contexts to describe a skin eruption that has the characteristic appearance of the rash seen in measles (rubeola). The rash typically consists of small, red, flat spots (macules) that may become slightly raised (papules) and often coalesce.

Usage

• The term is used almost exclusively in medical, dermatological, or clinical descriptions to classify and communicate the nature of a patient's rash.
• It is a descriptive clinical term, not a diagnosis itself. A morbilliform rash can be caused by various agents, including viruses (other than measles), drugs, or other systemic illnesses.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The patient presented with a generalized morbilliform eruption following the administration of the new antibiotic.
  • Viral exanthems in children often appear as a morbilliform rash.
  • The dermatologist noted the rash was morbilliform, prompting tests to rule out measles and other causes.

Advanced Usage

• "Morbilliform drug eruption": A very common type of adverse cutaneous reaction to medication, characterized by a measles-like rash.
  • Penicillin is a frequent cause of a morbilliform drug eruption.

Variants and Related Words

• Exanthem (noun): A widespread rash, usually of infectious origin.
  • The fever was followed by a characteristic exanthem.
• Maculopapular (adjective): A more general clinical term describing a rash featuring both flat (macules) and raised (papules) lesions; a morbilliform rash is a type of maculopapular rash.
  • The maculopapular rash covered the trunk and extremities.

Synonyms

• Measles-like (adjective): Informal description meaning resembling measles.
• Maculopapular (adjective): While not a perfect synonym, it is often used in similar clinical contexts to describe the general morphology of such rashes.

Antonyms

• Vesicular (adjective): Describing a rash characterized by small fluid-filled blisters (e.g., chickenpox).
• Pustular (adjective): Describing a rash characterized by pus-filled lesions.
• Nodular (adjective): Describing a rash characterized by large, solid, raised lesions.

Notes

• The word is derived from , the Latin word for measles, and the suffix , meaning "in the shape of."
• Correctly identifying a rash as morbilliform is an important step in differential diagnosis, as it narrows down the possible causes from a vast list.

Adjective

1. of a rash that resembles that of measles