arthritic

adjective

ar·​thrit·​ic är-ˈthri-tik 

1

: of, relating to, or affected with arthritis

arthritic hands

2

: seemingly affected with or caused by arthritis

an arthritic legal system

a story moving with arthritic slowness

arthritic noun

arthritically

är-ˈthri-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of arthritic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those elders were old, arthritic, their quality had come down. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025

His favorite dog, an arthritic 12-year-old black poodle named Jet, would hang by his side, while a menagerie of other dogs barked jealously from the kitchen. —Jason Fine, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025

Other arthritic and aging bears have been taught exercises for stretching and strengthening their limbs, part of the sanctuary’s pioneering physical therapy program. —Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025

While surgical removal of cysts and arthritic tissue may relieve pain, the resulting nail changes may be permanent, with a risk of recurrence. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English artetyke, arthretyke, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French artetyke, artetique, borrowed from Medieval Latin arteticus, arthreticus, going back to Latin arthrīticus, borrowed from Greek arthrītikós "of the joints, diseased in the joints," from arthrîtis "of the joints, (as a noun) gout" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at arthritis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing arthritic

• anti-arthritic

Rhymes for arthritic

• ascitic
• dendritic
• enclitic
• ferritic
• granitic
• graphitic
• hamitic
• nephritic
• neritic
• pleuritic
• pruritic
• pyritic

Medical Definition

arthritic

1 of 2 adjective

ar·​thrit·​ic är-ˈthrit-ik 

: of, relating to, or affected with arthritis

arthritically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

arthritic

2 of 2 noun

: a person affected with arthritis