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.

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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

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arthritis Scientific  

/ är-thrī′tĭs /

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

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arthritis Cultural  

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

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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:

• rheumatism vs. arthritis

Example Sentences

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 • Mar. 30, 2026

The company voluntarily withdrew it after lawsuits alleged it caused side effects such as arthritis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Some young people shared their experiences of being diagnosed with arthritis with elected representatives and spoke about how they found transitioning into adult services.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

James, who took a hard spill in the fourth quarter and banged his right elbow, was officially nursing left foot arthritis.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

Gregor guessed she might be around his grandma’s age, but his grandma was stooped and moved painfully from arthritis.

From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins