What does podagra mean?
Podagra is an old term for gout, a form of inflammatory arthritis that most characteristically produces intense pain, swelling, and redness at the base of the big toe. The condition has been recognized since classical antiquity and was described in early medical writing long before its causes were understood. In modern usage, “gout” is the standard and much more familiar word, while “podagra” survives mainly in medical history, specialist literature, and discussions of older texts. An attack may be called acute podagra, and recurrent or long-standing disease may be described as chronic podagra. The term is useful chiefly for reading historical sources, where it appears in accounts of illness, diet, medicine, and everyday life. Its name derives from ancient Greek words for “foot” and “a seizure or attack,” reflecting the severity and suddenness associated with the condition.
nounAn old medical term for gout, especially an acute attack of inflammatory arthritis affecting the joint at the base of the big toe.
- Gout, especially acute inflammatory arthritis at the base of the big toe.
"He was confined to bed by an attack of podagra."
"Doctors diagnosed acute podagra after examining his swollen and tender big toe."
"Several centuries of medical accounts describe podagra as a painful condition associated with rich food and wine."
The plural is rarely needed because the condition is usually discussed in the singular or mass sense.
"The physician's notes describe recurring podagras following heavy meals."
Podagra literally means “foot seizure,” an apt description for the sudden, severe pain that has tormented gout sufferers since antiquity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does podagra come from?
Podagra comes from ancient Greek podagra, a compound of pous, “foot,” and agra, “a seizure” or “an attack.” The same Greek roots underlie words such as podiatry, podometer, and podocyte. The term was already in use for gout in classical Greek medicine and later passed into Latin and other European languages.
Related word forms
How podagra is actually used
The word is now chiefly historical or specialized; modern medical writing normally uses “gout.” It can refer broadly to gout but has traditionally been especially associated with the first metatarsophalangeal joint.