'Rheumatism' definitions:

Definition of 'rheumatism'

(from WordNet)
noun
Any painful disorder of the joints or muscles or connective tissues
noun
A chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation of the joints and marked deformities; something (possibly a virus) triggers an attack on the synovium by the immune system, which releases cytokines that stimulate an inflammatory reaction that can lead to the destruction of all components of the joint [syn: rheumatoid arthritis, atrophic arthritis, rheumatism]

Definition of 'Rheumatism'

From: GCIDE
  • Rheumatism \Rheu"ma*tism\, n. [L. rheumatismus rheum, Gr. ????, fr.??? to have or suffer from a flux, fr. ??? rheum: cf. F. rheumatisme. See 2d Rheum.] (Med.) A general disease characterized by painful, often multiple, local inflammations, usually affecting the joints and muscles, but also extending sometimes to the deeper organs, as the heart. [1913 Webster]
  • Inflammatory rheumatism (Med.), acute rheumatism attended with fever, and attacking usually the larger joints, which become swollen, hot, and very painful.
  • Rheumatism root. (Bot.) See Twinleaf. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'rheumatism'

From: Moby Thesaurus