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colitis

American  
[kuh-lahy-tis, koh-] / kəˈlaɪ tɪs, koʊ- /

noun

Pathology.

  1. inflammation of the colon.

colitis British  
/ kɒˈlɪtɪk, kə-, kɒˈlaɪtɪs, ˌkɒləˈnaɪtɪs /

noun

  1. inflammation of the colon

"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
colitis Scientific  
/ kə-lī′tĭs /

  1. Inflammation of the colon.

colitis Cultural  

  1. An inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the colon. Colitis is characterized by pain in the abdomen, with alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhea.

Other Word Forms

  • colitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of colitis

col- 2 + -itis

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.

Lucy Smith-Butler, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2017.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

IBD includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and is marked by long-lasting inflammation in the digestive tract.

From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2026

Abivax’s primary drug, obefazimod for ulcerative colitis, is in late-stage clinical trials and not yet approved for sale.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

Tremfya treats plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 15, 2025

He developed colitis and in 1909 learned he had diabetes.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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.