encephalomyelitis

/ɛnˌsɛfələˌmaɪəˈlaɪtɪs/

noun

Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

OriginEnglish myelitis ← Ancient Greek μυελός (muelós) ← Proto-Hellenic *kʰepʰəlā́ →
UncommonScrabble 29
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Meanings

nounencephalomyelitis (plural encephalomyelitides)

plural encephalomyelitides

  1. medicineInflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Ancient Greekἐν (en)
  3. Ancient Greekἐν- (en-)
  4. Proto-Indo-European*gʰebʰ-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*gʰébʰōl
  6. Proto-Hellenic*kʰepʰəlā́
  7. Ancient Greekκεφᾰλή (kephălḗ)
  8. Ancient Greekἐγκέφᾰλος (enképhălos)
  9. Englishencephalo-
  10. Ancient Greekμυελός (muelós)
  11. Englishmyelo-
  12. Englishmyelitis
  13. Englishencephalomyelitis

From encephalo- + myelitis.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech encefalomyelitida
  • encefalomyelitidainflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Finnish enkefalomyeliitti
  • enkefalomyeliittiinflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Italian encefalomielite
  • encefalomieliteinflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Spanish encefalomielitis
  • encefalomielitisinflammation of the brain and spinal cord

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

myeloencephalitis
Cite this entry
APA

encephalomyelitis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/encephalomyelitis

MLA

“encephalomyelitis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/encephalomyelitis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “encephalomyelitis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/encephalomyelitis.

Source: encephalomyelitis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.