-itis
Inflammatory disease.
[Greek feminine form of adjectives ending in -itēs.]
In Greek, such adjectives were often used alone, with a following noun understood, especially nosos, disease. For example, though nephritis in classical Greek strictly meant ‘of the kidneys’, it actually referred to a disease of that organ. Application specifically to inflammations occurred in English from the eighteenth century onwards. A large number of such terms now exists, of which a few are given in the list below.
The ending is often used facetiously in temporary formations that refer to some state of mind or tendency viewed as a disease: celebritis, excessive admiration for celebrities; electionitis; lotteryitis; millenniumitis.
Examples of words in -itis
| appendicitis | inflammation of the appendix | English appendix |
| arthritis | disease causing inflammation of the joints | Greek arthron, joint |
| bronchitis | inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes | Greek bronkhos, windpipe |
| colitis | inflammation of the lining of the colon | English colon, from Greek kolon |
| conjunctivitis | inflammation of the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye | Latin conjungere, join together |
| cystitis | inflammation of the urinary bladder | Greek kustis, bladder |
| dermatitis | an inflammatory condition of the skin | Greek derma, dermat-, skin |
| encephalitis | inflammation of the brain | Greek enkephalos, brain |
| gastritis | inflammation of the lining of the stomach | Greek gastēr, gastr-, stomach |
| hepatitis | inflammation of the liver | Greek hēpar, hēpat-, liver |
| mastitis | inflammation of the mammary gland in the breast or udder | Greek mastos, breast |
| meningitis | inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that line the skull | Greek mēninx, mēning-, membrane |
| poliomyelitis | an infectious viral disease that can cause paralysis | Greek polios, grey, plus muelos, marrow |
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