-itis, suffix
a. Gr. -ῖτις, properly forming the fem. of adjs. in -ίτης, but often used absolutely with a fem. n. understood, as in ἀσϕαλτῖτις (λίµνη) Lake Asphaltitis, the Dead Sea; already in Greek used to qualify νόσος disease, expressed or understood, e.g. ἀρθρῖτις (disease) of the joints, gout, arthritis, νεϕρῖτις (disease) of the kidneys, nephritis, πλευρῖτις pleurisy, ῥαχῖτις spinal (disease), rhachitis. On the analogy of these, -itis has become in mod. medical L., and hence in Eng., the regular name for affections of particular parts, and spec. (though this is not etymological) of inflammatory disease or inflammation of a part. Examples are appendicitis (inflammation of the vermiform appendix of the cæcum), bronchitis, gastritis, peritonitis, pneumonitis, tonsilitis, etc. The Fr. form is in -ite. In irregular trivial use applied to a state of mind or tendency fancifully regarded as a disease.
| 1903 Asquith in Westm. Gaz. 19 Oct. 5/1 All the people were suffering from a new disease—the disease of fiscalitis. 1906 Ibid. 27 Apr. 4/2 Several members of Parliament are suffering from a slight attack of Suffragitis. 1912 Q. Rev. Oct. 504 Cricket has just suffered from so severe an attack of ‘testitis’ as to render it highly improbable [etc.]. 1944 F. Clune Red Heart 68 Those were the days when the nor'-west of New South Wales was agog with bushrangeritis. 1945 W. S. Churchill Victory (1946) 186 It was impossible to go on in a state of ‘electionitis’ all through the summer and autumn. 1969 Sunday Express 28 Dec. 24/3 As the year wears on, politicians' electionitis will have more influence on events than central bankers' views. |