mumps
n. plural-onlyn. a common illness caused by a virus that makes your neck and face swell up. It usually causes a fever and makes it painful to swallow.
n. an acute viral infection characterized by the swelling of the parotid salivary glands. Typically affects children and young adults; often preventable through vaccination.
He stayed home from school because he had the mumps.
The doctor confirmed a case of mumps after noticing the characteristic swelling along the patient's jawline.
While usually a mild childhood illness, mumps can occasionally lead to more severe complications such as meningitis or inflammation of the reproductive organs in adult patients.
Takes a singular verb despite the plural ending ('Mumps is...').
The mumps are spreading.Mumps is spreading.Mumps is a pluralia tantum noun that refers to a single disease, so it takes a singular verb.