Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

arthritis

American  
[ahr-thrahy-tis] / ɑrˈθraɪ tɪs /

noun

  1. acute or chronic inflammation of a joint, often accompanied by pain and structural changes and having diverse causes, as infection, crystal deposition, or injury.


arthritis British  
/ ɑːˈθraɪtɪs, ɑːˈθrɪtɪk /

noun

  1. inflammation of a joint or joints characterized by pain and stiffness of the affected parts, caused by gout, rheumatic fever, etc See also rheumatoid arthritis

"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

arthritis Scientific  
/ är-thrītĭs /
  1. Acute or chronic inflammation of one or more joints, usually accompanied by pain and stiffness, resulting from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, autoimmune disease, or other causes.

  2. See also osteoarthritis rheumatoid arthritis


arthritis Cultural  
  1. The inflammation of tissues in the joints (such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis), usually resulting in pain and stiffness.


Usage

Rather than talking about an arthritic or arthritics , it is better to talk about a person with arthritis and people with arthritis

Other Word Forms

  • arthritic adjective

Etymology

Origin of arthritis

First recorded in 1535–45; from New Latin, from Greek: “gout,” from árthr(on) “joint” ( arthro- ) + -ītis -itis

Compare meaning

How does arthritis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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.

Now 41, the league’s new leader in regular-season and playoff wins was questionable to play in his second game in as many nights while managing left foot arthritis.

From Los Angeles Times

‘I’m experiencing issues with arthritis’: I’m 68 with $3 million saved.

From MarketWatch

The protective effects were especially strong for inflammatory conditions like arthritis, serious cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke, and dementia.

From Science Daily

Doctors are encouraged to consider family history of atherosclerosis, underlying conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and life events like early menopause or pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, when evaluating risk and planning treatment.

From Science Daily

He said X-rays of the man's spine also showed that he had arthritis which would have caused him back pain.

From BBC