Arthritis

/ɑːrˈθraɪtɪs/ noun

Definition

A disease that causes inflammation and stiffness in the joints, making movement painful and difficult.

Etymology

From Greek 'arthron' (joint) + '-itis' (inflammation). The '-itis' suffix became the standard medical way to name diseases affecting specific body parts, originating in ancient Greek medical terminology.

Kelly Says

The '-itis' suffix is medicine's favorite building block—add it to any body part and you've named its inflammation: bronchitis (airways), meningitis (brain membranes), colitis (colon)—it's how doctors turned inflammation into language.

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