osteoarthritis
n. uncountablen. a common type of joint pain and stiffness that happens when the cartilage in your joints wears away. It usually affects older people and makes it hard to move your joints smoothly.
n. a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage and underlying bone within a joint. It is the most common form of arthritis and typically affects weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips.
My grandmother has osteoarthritis in her knees.
The doctor diagnosed the patient with osteoarthritis after noticing significant wear on the cartilage in the X-ray.
While osteoarthritis is often associated with aging, it can also result from previous joint injuries or repetitive strain that accelerates the natural wear of the cartilage.
From osteo- + arthritis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 28, 2026