mumps (m?mps)pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An acute, inflammatory, contagious disease caused by a paramyxovirus and characterized by swelling of the salivary glands, especially the parotids, and sometimes of the pancreas, ovaries, or testes. This disease, mainly affecting children, can be prevented by vaccination.[Perhaps from pl. of dialectal mump, grimace.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.mumps (m?mps) n (Pathology) (functioning as singular or plural) an acute contagious viral disease of the parotid salivary glands, characterized by swelling of the affected parts, fever, and pain beneath the ear: usually affects children. Also called: epidemic parotitis [C16: from mump1 (to grimace)] ?mumpish adjCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014mumps (m?mps) n. (used with a sing. v.) an infectious disease characterized by inflammatory swelling of the parotid and usu. other salivary glands, and sometimes by inflammation of the testes or ovaries, caused by a paramyxovirus. [1590?1600; compare obsolete mump grimace, dial. mump to mumble; expressive word; see -s3] Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.mumps (m?mps) A contagious disease, usually affecting children, that is caused by a virus. Symptoms include inflammation of the salivary glands, especially those at the back of the jaw.The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.mumpsInflammation of the parotid salivary glands, caused by a virus that is spread in saliva.Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited