rheumatic

1 of 2

adjective

rheu·​mat·​ic ru̇-ˈma-tik 

: of, relating to, characteristic of, or affected with rheumatism

rheumatically

ru̇-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

rheumatic

2 of 2

noun

: one affected with rheumatism

Examples of rheumatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The goal of a strep vaccine would be to prevent some of the longer term consequences of strep infection, such as rheumatic heart disease, which are triggered by the immune system responding to the infection. —Alice Park, Time, 10 Apr. 2025

Ask whether your condition may be due to a rheumatic autoimmune disease — even in the absence of abnormal blood tests. Bring an ally to your appointments. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Mar. 2025

Systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s disease, linked to gland and organ dysfunction, are examples of prevalent rheumatic diseases. —Johnson & Johnson, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Another 300-400,000 people a year die from rheumatic heart disease, a chronic condition caused by damage from strep infection. —Dylan Matthews, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English rewmatik subject to rheum, from Anglo-French reumatike, from Latin rheumaticus, from Greek rheumatikos, from rheumat-, rheuma

First Known Use

Adjective

1711, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1738, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rheumatic

• rheumatic fever

Rhymes for rheumatic

• asthmatic
• chromatic
• climatic
• dogmatic
• dramatic
• ecstatic
• emphatic
• erratic
• eustatic
• fanatic
• hepatic
• lymphatic

Kids Definition

rheumatic

adjective

rheu·​mat·​ic

ru̇-ˈmat-ik

: of, relating to, characteristic of, or suffering from rheumatism

rheumatically

-ˈmat-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

rheumatic

1 of 2 adjective

rheu·​mat·​ic ru̇-ˈmat-ik 

: of, relating to, characteristic of, or affected with rheumatism

rheumatic pain

a rheumatic joint

rheumatic

2 of 2 noun

: an individual affected with rheumatism