# mumps

> English word · Noun · IPA /mʌmps/ · frequency rank #36,683

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. A gloomy or sullen silence.

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

## Easily confused with
- **mums** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mumps-vs-mums)
- **muses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mumps-vs-muses)
- **mum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mum-vs-mumps)
- **MPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mps-vs-mumps)
- **MMS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mms-vs-mumps)
- **MMP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mmp-vs-mumps)
- **maps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maps-vs-mumps)
- **moms** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/moms-vs-mumps)
- **Mbps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mbps-vs-mumps)
- **mummy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mummy-vs-mumps)
- **mucus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mucus-vs-mumps)
- **mules** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mules-vs-mumps)

## Common misspellings (8)
`mmumps`, `mmups`, `mummps`, `mumpps`, `mumpss`, `mumsp`, `mupms`, `ummps`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mumps