English Explanatory Dictionary

-itis

English dictionary entry

Meanings

suffix
  1. Denoting diseases characterized by inflammation, itself often caused by an infection.
  2. Used to form the names of various fictitious afflictions or diseases.

Pronunciation

/-ˈaɪtɪs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl--itis.wav

Word forms

-itis -itides -itises -ites

Etymology

From New Latin -itis, from Ancient Greek -ῖτις (-îtis, “pertaining to”). This is the feminine form of adjectival suffix -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs). The English suffix derives from the feminine form due to its use with the feminine noun νόσος (nósos, “disease”), particularly with ἀρθρῖτις (νόσος) (arthrîtis (nósos), “disease of the joints”) (one of the earliest English borrowings from which the suffix was extracted and abstracted). Adding "-itis" to the end of a word or phrase can give a humorous sense by generalization.

Related words

-osis

Derived words

abbreviationitis acronymitis adjectivitis alphabetitis Americanitis bastarditis bitchitis boneritis boobitis boomeritis boroughitis boyitis bureaucratitis capitalitis checkitis classitis clientitis collectionitis comparisonitis computeritis conservativitis consolitis cowboyitis crazyitis dartitis Democratitis demo-itis departmentalitis disjunctivitis divitis dropitis editcountitis egoitis electionitis featuritis founderitis Foxitis freshmanitis frogitis frontrunneritis fuckarounditis get-there-itis girlitis go-itis Googlitis Hollanditis hyphenitis imaginitis jargonitis junioritis keyboarditis Klondicitis lastminutitis lazyitis liberalitis localitis meetingitis mentionitis ministerialitis Mondayitis
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