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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

gouts plural

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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goût ¹ British  

/ ɡu /

noun

1. taste or good taste

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gout ² 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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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

Derived Forms

• goutiness
  noun
• gouty
  adjective
• goutily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• gouts
  plural

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 clocked 20.60, well short of the Australian record of 19.67 he set in April.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

"Gout Gout shows how individual characteristics can shape world-class speed in different ways," says Dr. Hicks.

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 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

My Gout has been most regular and severe, as well as of a proper Continuance to relieve, and perhaps quite remove, the general disorder which had brought me so low.

From Lord Chatham His Early Life and Connections by Rosebery, Archibald Phillip Primrose

Related Words

• appetite
• palate