rheumatics

9.9

Pain or illness that affects the joints and muscles, often in older people

noun
/ˈruːməˌtɪks/

Archaic

: reumatismo

When the weather changes, he often feels the effects of rheumatics in his knees and hands.

Examples

She's still got her rheumatics.

The Blue Bird (1976)
It's me rheumatics.

The Blue Bird (1976)
"Or the rheumatics," called another female voice.

Fiction book (2001)
" Or the rheumatics.

Fiction book (2001)
You wouldn't want to be coming down with rheumatics," Maeve's gaze roved over his naked chest.

Fiction book (2001)
Many elderly people suffer from rheumatics, making it difficult for them to move freely.
After a long day of gardening, her rheumatics flared up, causing her a lot of discomfort.

Synonyms

arthritis

vsrheumatics

Specialized

86 3.5

A condition that causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints

is older and covers both joint and muscle pain or disease

rheumatism

vsrheumatics

Specialized

7 6.2

A condition that causes pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles

is an older term mainly naming joint or muscle pain or disease

arthropathy

vsrheumatics

Specialized

1 9.7

A disease that affects a joint and makes it painful or stiff

is an older phrase that applies to both joint and muscle problems

arthralgia

vsrheumatics

Specialized

1 9.9

Pain in one or more joints

is older and can mean joint or muscle pain or wider disease

Surface Forms

rheumatics singular

rheumatics plural

Morphology

rheumatics = rheumatism (transparent) = rheumatism + s

The word is formed from the familiar noun 'rheumatism' with a plural/nominal -s, so its sense as 'rheumatic pains' is directly predictable.

Etymology

The word rheumatics comes from the Greek root rheuma, meaning 'flow', because people long ago thought joint and muscle pain was caused by bad fluids moving in the body. So rheumatics was used for pain or disease of the joints and muscles.