bursitis

noun

bur·​si·​tis (ˌ)bər-ˈsī-təs How to pronounce bursitis (audio)
: inflammation of a bursa (as of the shoulder or elbow)

Did you know?

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

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trochanteric bursitis, inflammation of the greater trochanteric bursa, causes pain at the side of the hip and extends to the outside of the thigh. Lindsay Curtis, Health, 31 Oct. 2024 Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury After missing all but 29 games in 2023-24 because of left heel bursitis (inflammation) and a sprained right midfoot, Vanderbilt had procedures on both his feet after last season ended and his status for the start of 2024-25 hasn’t been determined. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 29 Sep. 2024 After missing all but 29 games in 2023-24 because of left heel bursitis (inflammation) and a sprained right midfoot, Vanderbilt had procedures on both his feet after last season ended and his status for the start of 2024-25 hasn’t been determined. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 29 Sep. 2024 Arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, bursitis, lupus and more can be long, lingering issues with pain. Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bursitis 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from bursa

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bursitis was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near bursitis

Cite this Entry

“Bursitis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bursitis. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bursitis

noun
bur·​si·​tis (ˌ)bər-ˈsīt-əs How to pronounce bursitis (audio)
: inflammation of a bursa (as of the shoulder or elbow)

Medical Definition

bursitis

noun
bur·​si·​tis (ˌ)bər-ˈsīt-əs How to pronounce bursitis (audio)
: inflammation of a bursa (as of the shoulder or elbow)

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