osteoarthritis
noun
os·te·o·ar·thri·tis
ˌä-stē-ō-är-ˈthrī-təs 
: 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
Examples of osteoarthritis in a Sentence
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Shortly after she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
—
Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
According to experts, over 44% of women going through menopause will experience osteoarthritis.
—Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 25 June 2025
Scientists have done just that for osteoarthritis, a condition that could affect a billion people globally by 2050.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Which vitamin E supplements are best? Vitamin E is a major antioxidant vitamin that neutralizes the damaging action of free radicals on healthy cells, an effect that may play a role in preventing and managing chronic conditions like osteoarthritis and diabetes.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
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Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
According to experts, over 44% of women going through menopause will experience osteoarthritis.
—Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 25 June 2025
Scientists have done just that for osteoarthritis, a condition that could affect a billion people globally by 2050.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Which vitamin E supplements are best? Vitamin E is a major antioxidant vitamin that neutralizes the damaging action of free radicals on healthy cells, an effect that may play a role in preventing and managing chronic conditions like osteoarthritis and diabetes.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for osteoarthritis
Cite this Entry
“Osteoarthritis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/osteoarthritis. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
osteoarthritis
noun
os·teo·ar·thri·tis
ˌäs-tē-ō-är-ˈthrīt-əs
plural osteoarthritides
-ˈthrit-ə-ˌdēz
: 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
Paul G. Donohue, The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-News
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