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
Recent Examples on the Web
The active ingredient, curcumin, is thought to be a potent anti-inflammatory, particularly effective for osteoarthritis of the knees.
—
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
As for non-operative, non-surgical treatments, osteoarthritis management could look like a combination of physical therapy, exercise and medications, Garbarino says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
Hip pain can be incredibly uncomfortable and distracting, with causes ranging from tight muscles to osteoarthritis, a joint condition.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 19 Aug. 2025
The inner, or medial, part of the knee joint is the most common site where cartilage breaks down in osteoarthritis (OA), causing pain, stiffness, and limited movement.
—New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2025
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Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
As for non-operative, non-surgical treatments, osteoarthritis management could look like a combination of physical therapy, exercise and medications, Garbarino says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
Hip pain can be incredibly uncomfortable and distracting, with causes ranging from tight muscles to osteoarthritis, a joint condition.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 19 Aug. 2025
The inner, or medial, part of the knee joint is the most common site where cartilage breaks down in osteoarthritis (OA), causing pain, stiffness, and limited movement.
—New Atlas, 12 Aug. 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 10 Sep. 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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