tendinitis

noun

ten·​di·​ni·​tis ˌten-də-ˈnī-təs 

variants or tendonitis

: inflammation of a tendon typically associated with acute injury and usually accompanied by pain and swelling

Tendinitis in his right shoulder forced him to the sideline only a few plays into the game.

—Herm Weiskopf

Did you know?

Tendinitis is often seen in active, healthy people who do something that requires repeated motion, including golfers and tennis players (especially those with improper form), carpenters, and violinists. It's usually treated by keeping the joint from moving, by means of a splint, cast, or bandage. If not dealt with in time, tendinitis can turn into the more serious tendinosis, or tendon degeneration.

Examples of tendinitis in a Sentence

She was diagnosed with tendinitis of the elbow.

I have tendinitis in my knee.

Recent Examples on the Web

Wiggins sat out Friday’s win over the Hornets because of knee tendinitis, but was listed as out on Sunday due to a toe injury. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026

Front of mind, however, is his struggle with tendinitis. —Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026

After shoulder surgery in 2023, a full year of rehab in 2024 and a choppy 2025 comeback hampered by ankle tendinitis, a line-drive off his elbow and a lat strain in his back, Woodruff is ready to lead the rotation. —Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026

Treatment is intended to change or even block pain perception in patients, and is often employed to alleviate conditions associated with osteoarthritis, tendinitis and fibromyalgia. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin tendin-, tendōn-, taken as stems of Medieval Latin tendō tendon + -itis

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tendinitis

• fugacity
• intercity
• lubricity
• rhythmicity
• seismicity
• sphericity
• subcommittee
• atomicity
• catholicity
• ellipticity
• historicity
• mutuality

Medical Definition

tendinitis

noun

ten·​di·​ni·​tis

variants or tendonitis

ˌten-də-ˈnīt-əs 

: inflammation of a tendon typically associated with acute injury and usually accompanied by pain and swelling