Dictionary.com
definitions

rheumatism

[roo-muh-tiz-uh m]
|

noun Pathology.

any disorder of the extremities or back, characterized by pain and stiffness.
rheumatic fever.

RELATED CONTENT

Quacks and Other People Not To Be TrustedRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

Nearby words

  1. rheumatic fever,
  2. rheumatic heart disease,
  3. rheumatic pneumonia,
  4. rheumatics,
  5. rheumatid,
  6. rheumatism-root,
  7. rheumatoid,
  8. rheumatoid arthritis,
  9. rheumatoid factor,
  10. rheumatoid nodule

Origin of rheumatism

1595–1605; < Latin rheumatismus catarrh, rheum < Greek rheumatismós, equivalent to rheumat- (stem of rheûma; see rheum) + -ismos -ism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rheumatism

British Dictionary definitions for rheumatism

rheumatism

noun

any painful disorder of joints, muscles, or connective tissueCompare arthritis, fibrositis

Word Origin for rheumatism

C17: from Latin rheumatismus catarrh, from Greek rheumatismos; see rheum
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
Word Origin and History for rheumatism

rheumatism

n.

c.1600, from Late Latin rheumatismus, from Greek rheumatismos, from rheumatizein "suffer from the flux," from rheuma "a discharge from the body" (see rheum). "The meaning of a disease of the joints is first recorded in 1688, because rheumatism was thought to be caused by an excessive flow of rheum into a joint thereby stretching ligaments" [Barnhart].

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for rheumatism

rheumatism

[rōō′mə-tĭz′əm]

n.

Any of several pathological conditions of the muscles, tendons, joints, bones, or nerves, characterized by discomfort and disability.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.