osteoarthritis

American

[os-tee-oh-ahr-thrahy-tis] / ˌɒs ti oʊ ɑrˈθraɪ tɪs /

noun

Pathology.

the most common form of arthritis, usually occurring after middle age, marked by chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints leading to pain, stiffness, and swelling.

osteoarthritis British

/ ˌɒstɪəʊɑːˈθrɪtɪk, ˌɒstɪəʊɑːˈθraɪtɪs /

noun

Also called: degenerative joint disease. chronic inflammation of the joints, esp those that bear weight, with pain and stiffness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

osteoarthritis Scientific

/ ŏs′tē-ō-är-thrī′tĭs /

A form of arthritis, occurring mainly in older people, that is characterized by chronic degeneration of the cartilage of the joints.

Other Word Forms

osteoarthritic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of osteoarthritis

First recorded in 1875–80; osteo- + arthritis

Vocabulary lists containing osteoarthritis

Body Language: Os, Osteo ("Bone")

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Patients also showed improvement across every category of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score.

From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026

Osteoarthritis is not simply about "worn out" joints.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

Osteoarthritis develops when joints are stressed by aging, injury, or obesity.

From Science Daily • Jan. 20, 2026

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting an estimated 32.5 million adults in the United States.

From Science Daily • Oct. 15, 2025

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that causes pain and stiffness, typically affects older people, but can strike at any age.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023