Main Entry: Crohn's disease

Pronunciation: \ˈkrōnz-\

Variant(s): also Crohn disease \ˈkrōn-\

Function: noun

: chronic ileitis that typically involves the distal portion of the ileum, often spreads to the colon, and is characterized by diarrhea, cramping, and loss of appetite and weight with local abscesses and scarring—called also regional enteritis, regional ileitis

Crohn, Burrill Bernard (1884–1983), American physician. Crohn spent his career studying diseases of the intestines. In 1932 he published an article on regional ileitis. Since then that disease has also been known as Crohn's disease.