Enteritis

/ˌɛntəˈraɪtɪs/ noun

Definition

Inflammation of the intestines, particularly the small intestine, causing symptoms like diarrhea and cramping.

Etymology

From Greek 'enteron' (intestine) + '-itis' (inflammation). The '-itis' suffix, from Greek 'itis' (inflammation), became standard in medical terminology for naming inflammatory conditions.

Kelly Says

The '-itis' suffix is medicine's most recognizable building block—it appears in bronchitis, arthritis, meningitis—letting anyone guess that a word describes inflammation, even if they've never heard it before.

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