noun
itis
EYE-tihs
noun
1
Informal term for any condition marked by inflammation, taken loosely from medical terms like "arthritis" or "tonsillitis."
"The doctor joked that his sore knee was just a case of "itis.""
2
Slang for the sleepy, sluggish feeling after eating a large meal, especially associated with Thanksgiving dinner.
"After the turkey and pie, everyone on the couch had a bad case of the itis."
How to Use Itis
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishInformally, either a vague "inflamed something" or, in slang, the food-coma drowsiness after a big meal.
When to use it
Very informal — not used in clinical or formal writing.
Word Forms
itises plural
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Etymology
A back-formation from the medical suffix -itis, which denotes inflammation (as in "bronchitis" or "appendicitis").