Definition

A medical condition characterized by inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart.

Example

The doctor diagnosed her with pericarditis after she complained of chest pain.

Conversation

Did you hear about Mark's health issue?

No, what happened?

He was diagnosed with pericarditis, which sounds pretty serious.

Wow, I hope he gets better soon; that must be tough for him.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pericarditis is formed from "peri-" (meaning around) and "kardia" (Greek for heart) and "-itis" (meaning inflammation). The word describes the inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart.

Memory Tip

Think of 'peri-' meaning around the heart ('kardia') and '-itis' indicating inflammation. This helps you remember that pericarditis refers to inflammation around the heart.

Visually Confused Words