osteoarthritis

noun

os·​te·​o·​ar·​thri·​tis ˌä-stē-ō-är-ˈthrī-təs How to pronounce osteoarthritis (audio)
: a common form of arthritis typically with onset during middle or old age that is characterized by progressive degenerative changes in the cartilage of one or more joints (as of the knees, hips, and hands) accompanied by thickening and overgrowth of adjacent bone and that is marked symptomatically chiefly by stiffness, swelling, pain, deformation of joints, and loss of range of motion
abbreviation OA
compare rheumatoid arthritis
osteoarthritic adjective

Examples of osteoarthritis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Recent studies back this up: Over a 10-year time period, for every 100 persons, MPK results in 82 fewer major injurious falls, 62 fewer minor injurious falls, 16 fewer incidences of osteoarthritis and 11 lives saved. Jothy Rosenberg, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Your knee can experience osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and/or posttraumatic arthritis.4 What Are the Symptoms? Lauren Del Turco, Health, 6 Feb. 2024 The two most common are osteoarthritis, when the cartilage between the joints is broken down due to wear and tear, and rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the lining of the joints. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2024 According to the Mayo Clinic, hip dysplasia can cause complications such as osteoarthritis or a hip labral tear. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2024 In a new study, published in Science Translational Medicine on Wednesday, researchers analyzed tissue samples and joint fluid from 12 people, both those with osteoarthritis and healthy controls. Isabella Cueto, STAT, 24 Jan. 2024 Patients with hand osteoarthritis can also try topical and oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, splints or braces, warm or cold compresses, and hand exercises to treat symptoms. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 27 Oct. 2023 For instance, cast No. 57 (adult male between 25–30 years old) showed dental wear on the upper incisors and canine teeth, while cast No. 64 (adult male between 45–50 years old) showed evidence of osteoarthritis in the right knee and left femur. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2023 Many serious health conditions are associated with obesity, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers and osteoarthritis. Mandy Conrad, Discover Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'osteoarthritis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of osteoarthritis was in 1878

Dictionary Entries Near osteoarthritis

Cite this Entry

“Osteoarthritis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/osteoarthritis. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

osteoarthritis

noun
os·​teo·​ar·​thri·​tis
ˌäs-tē-ō-är-ˈthrīt-əs
: arthritis marked by the breakdown of cartilage and bone of joints

Medical Definition

osteoarthritis

noun
os·​teo·​ar·​thri·​tis ˌäs-tē-ō-är-ˈthrīt-əs How to pronounce osteoarthritis (audio)
plural osteoarthritides -ˈthrit-ə-ˌdēz How to pronounce osteoarthritis (audio)
: a common form of arthritis typically with onset during middle or old age that is characterized by progressive degenerative changes in the cartilage of one or more joints (as of the knees, hips, and hands) accompanied by thickening and overgrowth of adjacent bone and that is marked symptomatically chiefly by stiffness, swelling, pain, deformation of joints, and loss of range of motion
abbreviation OA

called also degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, hypertrophic arthritis

compare rheumatoid arthritis
osteoarthritic adjective
Treatment for hand and finger osteoarthritis has the same goals as treatment for any osteoarthritic joint: pain reduction, mobility maintenance and minimization of disability. Paul G. Donohue, The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-News

More from Merriam-Webster on osteoarthritis

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