Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “osteoarthritis” come from?

Osteoarthritis combines English osteo- with arthritis, which derives from Ancient Greek ἀρθρῖτις, from ἄρθρον meaning joint, ultimately from ἀραρίσκω and Proto-Indo-European h₂er-.

osteoarthritis (English): A form of arthritis, affecting mainly older...

Definitions

  1. A form of arthritis, affecting mainly older...

Ancestry of “osteoarthritis”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglisharthritisInflammation of a joint or joints causing pain...
2Latinarthritis—
3Ancient Greekἀρθρῖτιςf, "third"; of or in the joint
4Ancient Greekἄρθρονjoint; limb; articulation
5Ancient Greekἀραρίσκωjoin, fasten; fit together, construct; fit,...
6Ancient Greek-σκωPrimitive suffix used to form present-tense...
7Proto-Indo-European-sḱétiForms durative or iterative imperfective verbs...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -sḱéti →