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• gout
  gout

  noun

  an acute, recurrent disease characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, chiefly those in the feet and hands, and especially in the great toe, and by an excess of uric acid in the blood.
• goût
  goût

  noun

  taste or good taste

gout

American  

[gout] / gaʊt /

noun

1. an acute, recurrent disease characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, chiefly those in the feet and hands, and especially in the great toe, and by an excess of uric acid in the blood.

2. a mass or splash, as of blood; spurt.

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gout ¹ British  

/ ɡaʊt /

noun

1. a metabolic disease characterized by painful inflammation of certain joints, esp of the big toe and foot, caused by deposits of sodium urate in them

2. archaic a drop or splash, esp of blood

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goût ² British  

/ ɡu /

noun

1. taste or good taste

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gout Scientific  

/ gout /

1. An inherited disorder of uric acid metabolism occurring predominantly in men, characterized by painful inflammation of the joints. Elevated levels of uric acid in the blood result in deposition of crystals of uric acid salts (known as urates) around the joints, causing arthritis. The condition can become chronic and result in deformity.

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gout Cultural  

1. A disorder of metabolism characterized by attacks of painful inflammation in the joints, particularly those of the feet and hands. The inflammation is caused by the deposition of crystals of uric acid in the joints. Gout occurs most often in middle-aged men. The tendency toward developing gout is inherited. Stress, fatigue, or excessive exercise are among the factors that can bring on an attack.

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Other Word Forms

• goutily
  adverb
• goutiness
  noun
• gouty
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of gout

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English goute, from Old French, from Latin gutta “a drop (of fluid)”; gout in the feet formerly was attributed to drops of a corrupted humor

Explanation

Gout is a painful illness that causes hot, red, swollen joints. Once known as a disease of the wealthy and gluttonous, gout can be exacerbated by eating rich, fatty foods. Gout sounds like an old-fashioned condition, and it is often associated with famous historical figures who suffered from it, like King Henry VIII and Alexander the Great. However, it's fairly common today, possibly due to high-fat diets and longer life expectancies. The word gout comes from a Latin root gutta, or "drop," from the ancient belief that it was caused by drops of "humors" spilling into the joints from the blood.

Example Sentences

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by elevated levels of urate in the blood, which can form sharp crystals in and around joints.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

Gout is one of the oldest documented human illnesses.

From Science Daily • Nov. 14, 2025

Gout later trained with 2024 Paris Olympics 100-meter gold medalist Noah Lyles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 2, 2025

Teenager Gout Gout set a new Australian record with victory in the men's 200m on his senior international debut at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2025

Gout is a constitutional disease characterized by an inflammatory condition of the joints.

From Dietetics for Nurses by Proudfit, Fairfax T.

Related Words

• appetite
• palate