'podagra' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'podagrós', where 'pod-' meant 'foot' and '-agra' meant 'a seizure' or 'painful attack'.

'podagra' passed into Late Latin and Medieval Latin as 'podagra' from Greek 'podagrós', and was later adopted into English with essentially the same form and medical meaning.

Initially, it meant 'a seizure or attack affecting the foot', but over time it came to refer specifically to 'an attack of gout affecting the big toe or foot'.