apophysitis
|ap-o-phy-si-tis|
/ˌæpəfɪˈsaɪtɪs/
inflammation of a bony outgrowth (apophysis)
Etymology
'apophysitis' originates from New Latin/medical Latin, ultimately from Greek 'apóphysis' + the suffix '-itis' (meaning 'inflammation'), where 'apóphysis' meant 'a growth off' or 'outgrowth'.
'apophysis' comes from Greek 'apóphysis' (from apó 'away' + phýō 'to produce, to grow'), was adopted into Late/Medieval Latin as 'apophysis', and the modern medical formation 'apophysitis' developed by adding the Greek-derived suffix '-itis' to denote inflammation.
Initially, 'apophysis' referred specifically to the bony outgrowth itself; over time, the combined form 'apophysitis' came to mean 'inflammation of that bony outgrowth', and by extension an overuse-related disorder at the growth plate.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
inflammation of an apophysis (a bony outgrowth or prominence), typically due to repetitive traction or stress at a growth plate; commonly occurs in adolescents during growth.
The young athlete was diagnosed with apophysitis of the tibial tubercle (Osgood–Schlatter disease).
Synonyms
Noun 2
a localized overuse injury or disorder affecting the growth plate area (apophysis), often used to name specific conditions (e.g., calcaneal apophysitis = Sever's disease).
Calcaneal apophysitis is a common cause of heel pain in active children.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/21 06:04