Definition

A medical condition characterized by inflammation of the colon, which can cause symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with colitis after she reported severe stomach cramps.

Conversation

I heard that Jamie has been dealing with colitis lately.

Yeah, it's been tough for him; he has to watch what he eats.

That sounds challenging; I hope he finds some relief from the colitis.

Me too! It’s important for him to take care of his health.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Colitis is formed from "col-" (from Latin "colon", meaning the large intestine) and "-itis" (from Greek "itis", meaning inflammation). The word refers to the inflammation of the colon.

Memory Tip

Think of the 'colon' ('col-') being 'inflamed' ('-itis') — that's what colitis means.

Visually Confused Words