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A bursa is a little pouch filled with fluid that sits between a tendon and a bone. When the fluid becomes infected by bacteria or irritated by too much movement, bursitis results. Throwing a baseball too many times at one session, for example, may inflame and irritate one of the bursae (notice the plural form) in the shoulder. Bursitis in another part of the body may be known by a traditional name such as "housemaid's knee", "soldier's heel", or "tennis elbow". Bursitis generally goes away after a few weeks of resting the affected area, and the pain can be treated with ice packs and aspirin.
Examples of bursitis in a Sentence
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2025
The friction from the bunion may lead to inflammation called bursitis near the MTP joint, which can lead to additional pain at the base of the big toe, especially when walking.2
Bunions become more common with age, and up to a third of people over 65 have them.
—Ruth Jessen Hickman, Health, 17 Jan. 2025
Taking NSAIDs can help relieve the discomfort of fever, muscle aches, back pain, toothaches, menstrual cramps, headaches, tendonitis, bursitis and more, says Dr. Anureet Walia, MD, a pain management specialist.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025
The symptoms of bursitis include swelling and pain.
—Patty Weasler, Rn, Bsn, Verywell Health, 18 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bursitis
Cite this Entry
“Bursitis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bursitis. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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bursitis
noun
Medical Definition
bursitis
noun
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