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rhumatoïde

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Etymology and origin of the French word rhumatoïde

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1832 Raymond More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Latin rheumatismus

Forms

rhumatoïde (plural rhumatoïdes)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French rhumatisme + -oïde, with the base cut short.[2][3][4] Littré explains the ending by Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos, “form”).[5] The GLLF instead takes the base to be rhume in its old sense of rheumatism.[6] The base noun is from Latin rheumatismus (“catarrh, flux”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Raymond's dictionary of 1832 has douleurs rhumatoïdes, pains resembling those of rheumatism.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In the 19th century the word mostly described pains near the joints that looked like rheumatism;[5][6] Littré notes such pains following the first stage of syphilis.[5][6] The GLLF dates it from the Académie of 1836.[6] Facteur rhumatoïde, an abnormal protein found in the blood of patients with chronic polyarthritis, is recorded in the Larousse of 1964.[2][6] Today it is best known from polyarthrite rhumatoïde.[2][4]

Timeline

  • 1832 – Douleurs rhumatoïdes in Raymond.[2]
  • 1836 – Recorded by the Académie.[6]
  • 1964 – Facteur rhumatoïde in the Larousse.[2][6]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (medicine) Having features of, or linked to, a form of rhumatisme.[2][4]
  2. Polyarthrite rhumatoïde: rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic disease of the joints.[4][2]
  3. Facteur rhumatoïde: rheumatoid factor, an abnormal blood protein found in that disease.[2][6]
  • rhumatisme
  • rhume
  • rhumatismal

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Rhumatoïde.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/rhumato%C3%AFde. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·