orthopedics

American  

[awr-thuh-pee-diks] / ˌɔr θəˈpi dɪks /

Or orthopaedics

noun

1. (used with a singular verb) the medical specialty concerned with correction of deformities or functional impairments of the skeletal system, especially the extremities and the spine, and associated structures, as muscles and ligaments.

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orthopedics Scientific  

/ ôr′thə-pē′dĭks /

1. The branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of disorders or injuries of the bones, joints, and associated muscles.

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orthopedics Cultural  

1. The branch of medicine devoted to the study and care of the muscular and skeletal systems.

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Other Word Forms

• orthopedist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of orthopedics

First recorded in 1850–55; see origin at orthopedic, -ics

Explanation

Use the noun orthopedics when you're talking about the medical specialty that treats the spine and joints. The name of the branch of medicine concerned with deformities of the spine and joints may be puzzling for Greek-root fans, who will notice the presence of elements that mean "straight," "right," "true," and "child." The name is the work of one of the branch's pioneers, Nicolas Andry de Bois-Regard, who wrote a 1741 work called "Orthopaedia: or the Art of Correcting and Preventing Deformities in Children."

Example Sentences

But the war was taking its toll on the 50-year-old fugitive, who even while on the run insisted on sleeping on orthopedic mattresses to ease a back injury.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 23, 2021