Definition

A medical doctor who focuses on diagnosing and treating conditions related to the joints, such as arthritis.

Example

After months of pain, I finally decided to see a rheumatologist for my joint issues.

Conversation

I heard you visited a rheumatologist last week, how did it go?

It went surprisingly well! The doctor was really nice and explained everything clearly.

That's great to hear! I hope the rheumatologist can help with your pain.

Me too! I'm feeling optimistic about the treatment.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Rheumatologist → It is formed from "rheuma" (from Greek "rheuma", meaning flow or flux) and "-logist" (from Greek "logia", meaning study or science). A rheumatologist is a specialist who studies and treats diseases characterized by inflammation and pain in the joints and connective tissues, which are often described as having a flowing or fluctuating nature.

Memory Tip

Think of 'rheuma' meaning 'flow' and 'logist' meaning 'one who studies' — a rheumatologist is someone who studies the flow of joint and connective tissue diseases.

Visually Confused Words