Rheumatism

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈɹu.məˌtɪz.mÌ©/

Origin

First attested 1601, from Latin rheumatismus ("rheum"), from Ancient Greek ῥευματισμός (rheumatismos, "humour, discharge, rheum") from ῥευματίζομαι (rheumatizomai, "I suffer from a rheum") from ῥεῦμα (rheuma, "stream, flow") from ῥέω (rheō, "I flow")

Full definition of rheumatism

Noun

1. (pathology) Any disorder of the muscles, tendons, joints, bones, nerves, characterized by pain, discomfort and disability.
• The old man had become a confirmed invalid, confined by chronic rheumatism to his chair. — The Dead Alive
2. (pathology) atrophic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis

Derived terms

• desert rheumatism
• rheumatism weed