rheumatoid arthritis

noun

: a usually chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized especially by pain, stiffness, inflammation, swelling, and sometimes destruction of joints

—abbreviation RA compare osteoarthritis

Examples of rheumatoid arthritis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some of these include autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, blood clots, inflammatory disorders, some cancers or tissue injury, explains Gharahbaghian. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025

More than 50 million Americans live with an autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis, and that number continues to grow. —Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

In addition to eosinophil counts, the researchers measured white blood cells, inflammation markers, pain intensity, complications and comorbidities (conditions such as asthma, migraine, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis). —New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025

This same approach has previously proven effective in detecting diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, ALS, and prostate cancer. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rheumatoid arthritis

• diverticulitis
• epididymitis
• osteoarthritis
• periodontitis
• polymyositis
• pyelonephritis
• tenosynovitis
• adenitis
• arteritis
• blepharitis
• cervicitis
• cholangitis

Medical Definition

rheumatoid arthritis

noun

: a usually chronic disease that is considered an autoimmune disease and is characterized especially by pain, stiffness, inflammation, swelling, and sometimes destruction of joints

—abbreviation RA

called also atrophic arthritis

compare osteoarthritis