Definition

A medical condition characterized by the inflammation of the mastoid bone, which is located behind the ear.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with mastoiditis after she complained of ear pain and swelling behind her ear.

Conversation

I heard you were feeling unwell last week, what happened?

I was diagnosed with mastoiditis, which was pretty concerning.

Oh no! That sounds painful and scary.

It was a bit, but I'm on medication now and feeling much better.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Mastoiditis → It is formed from "mastoid" (from Greek "mastoeidēs", meaning breast-shaped) and "-itis" (from Greek "itis", meaning inflammation). The word refers to the inflammation of the mastoid process, which is a bony prominence behind the ear that resembles a breast in shape.

Memory Tip

Think of the 'breast-shaped' ('mastoid') area behind the ear becoming 'inflamed' ('-itis') — that's what mastoiditis means.

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