Origin: Greek suffix -itis
Arthritis has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
inflammation of a joint or joints
"The elderly man woke up in pain due to arthritis, which is an inflammation of his knee joints caused by years of wear and tear."
Inflammation of a joint or joints causing pain and/or disability, swelling and stiffness, and due to various causes such as infection, trauma, degenerative changes or metabolic disorders.
"After years of repetitive lifting at work, the worker developed severe arthritis in his lower back that left him unable to stand for more than ten minutes without sharp pain and noticeable swelling."
In plain English: Arthritis is a condition where your joints become swollen, painful, and stiff because they are inflamed.
"My grandmother takes medicine every morning to manage her arthritis pain."
Usage: Arthritis refers specifically to inflammation within the joints that leads to symptoms like pain, swelling, and reduced mobility. It is often confused with general body ache, but unlike vague muscle soreness, arthritis targets joint structures directly.
The word arthritis comes from the Latin term arthritēs, which was borrowed from Ancient Greek to mean "joint disease." It entered English through medical terminology, combining a root for "joint" with a suffix indicating inflammation.