-itis
a suffix used in pathological terms that denote inflammation of an organ (bronchitis; gastritis; neuritis) and hence, in extended senses, nouns denoting abnormal states or conditions, excesses, tendencies, obsessions, etc. (telephonitis; baseballitis).
Origin of -itis
1Words Nearby -itis
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use -itis in a sentence
Then he looked grave and mentioned a string of grievances that the flesh is heir to—mostly ending in "itis."
Sixes and Sevens | O. HenryThink of the doctors' terminations, so many of them fatal, in itis, which they have invented in the last few years.
The names are all cognate with the word itis, an ancient term applied to the woman who exercised sacred functions.
Woman under Monasticism | Lina EckensteinEvery other girl one met had an attack of khaki-itis, was spotted as the pard with badges and striped as the zebra.
The Sword of Deborah | F. Tennyson JesseIt's beginning to look as if we had acquired a pretty bad case of malignant strangle-itis.
The Real Man | Francis Lynde
British Dictionary definitions for -itis
indicating inflammation of a specified part: tonsillitis
informal indicating a preoccupation with or imaginary condition of illness caused by: computeritis; telephonitis
Origin of -itis
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for -itis
A suffix meaning inflammation, as in bronchitis, inflammation of the bronchial tubes.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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