osteoarthritis

American  

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

noun

Pathology.

1. 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.

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osteoarthritis British  

/ ˌɒstɪəʊɑːˈθraɪtɪs /

noun

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

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osteoarthritis Scientific  

/ ŏs′tē-ō-är-thrī′tĭs /

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

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Other Word Forms

• osteoarthritic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of osteoarthritis

First recorded in 1875–80; osteo- + arthritis

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

osteoarthritis

According to the World Health Organization, knee osteoarthritis affects more than 365 million adults worldwide.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

The researchers focused on people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis affecting the inner part of the knee.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

The findings, published in August 2025, came from the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to demonstrate the effectiveness of personalized gait retraining for knee osteoarthritis over a full year.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

This helps explain why osteoarthritis affecting the inside of the knee is especially common.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

Figure 217, taken from Hutchinson's "Archives of Surgery," represents an extreme case of deformity of the knee-joints in a boy of seven, the result of severe osteoarthritis.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Walter L. (Walter Lytle) Pyle