rheumatoid arthritis

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the joints, frequently accompanied by marked deformities, and ordinarily associated with manifestations of a general, or systemic, affliction.

---

rheumatoid arthritis British  

noun

1. a chronic disease of the musculoskeletal system, characterized by inflammation and swelling of joints (esp joints in the hands, wrists, knees, and feet), muscle weakness, and fatigue

---

rheumatoid arthritis Scientific  

/ ro̅o̅′mə-toid′ /

1. A chronic autoimmune disease characterized by progressive arthritis of several small or medium-sized joints, especially in the hands. Symptoms can include morning stiffness, joint swelling and weakness, and deformity and disability.

---

Etymology

Origin of rheumatoid arthritis

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Burlington, Mass.-based Lifordi is targeting rheumatoid arthritis, which causes inflammation and pain in the joints and affected 18 million people worldwide in 2019, according to the World Health Organization.

From The Wall Street Journal

When a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis made some of my favorite sports too painful, I was determined not to allow adventure to disappear from my life.

From The Wall Street Journal

These potentially disabling and often poorly understood conditions—including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Type 1 diabetes—occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells and tissues.

From The Wall Street Journal

When scientists studied women with such diseases, they often found fetal cells in the affected organs: the skin in scleroderma, the liver in biliary cirrhosis, the joints in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

From The Wall Street Journal

Early research indicates that it might even help prevent autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis, though more studies are needed to confirm this.

From Science Daily