appendicitis
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appendicitis
1885–90, < New Latin, equivalent to Latin appendic- (stem of appendix ) appendix + New Latin -ītis -itis
Explanation
Appendicitis is a painful medical condition caused by a swollen appendix. To keep the appendix from bursting, doctors often perform surgery to remove the appendix of patients who have appendicitis. People suffering from appendicitis often end up in the emergency room, because it causes so much pain. The pain of appendicitis usually starts near the belly button and spreads throughout the lower right part of the abdomen as the appendix becomes more swollen and inflamed. Appendicitis was first identified and named in the 1880s, from the Latin root appendix, "something attached," which describes the way your appendix is attached to your intestine.
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.
Yet it can become inflamed, causing appendicitis – a potentially life-threatening condition.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
He estimates it costs 15%-20% more at public Swedish hospitals to treat conditions such as appendicitis than at his hospital.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
Argentina's former president Cristina Kirchner underwent surgery for appendicitis on Saturday, according to the Buenos Aires hospital where she was admitted.
From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025
"Typically a patient would probably be diagnosed with appendicitis or IBS first."
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2025
In third grade, he’d lied about finishing his take-home reading, and the next day his mom had landed in the hospital with appendicitis.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
