-itis: Meaning and Definition of

-itis

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a suffix used in pathological terms that denote inflammation of an organ (bronchitis; gastritis; neuritis) and hence, in extended senses, nouns denoting abnormal states or conditions, excesses, tendencies, obsessions, etc. (telephonitis; baseballitis).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.