rickets

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: rick=ets

CIDE DICTIONARY

rickets, n. pl. [Of uncertain origin; but cf. AS. wrigian to bend, D. wrikken to shake, E. wriggle.].

 A disease which affects children, and which is characterized by a bulky head, crooked spine and limbs, depressed ribs, enlarged and spongy articular epiphyses, tumid abdomen, and short stature, together with clear and often premature mental faculties. The essential cause of the disease appears to be the nondeposition of earthy salts in the osteoid tissues. Children afflicted with this malady stand and walk unsteadily. Called also rachitis.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

rickets, n. (treated as sing. or pl.) a disease of children with softening of the bones (esp. the spine) and bow-legs, caused by a deficiency of vitamin D.

Etymology

17th c.: orig. uncert., but assoc. by medical writers with Gk rhakhitis RACHITIS

THESAURUS

rickets

Lombardy leprosy, anemia, ariboflavinosis, beriberi, cachexia, chlorosis, deficiency anemia, dermatitis, goiter, greensickness, keratomalacia, kwashiorkor, maidism, malnutrition, night blindness, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, pellagra, pernicious anemia, protein deficiency, rachitis, scurvy, struma, vitamin deficiency, xerophthalmia