"inflammation of the conjunctiva," 1821, from conjunctiva + -itis "inflammation."
Entries linking to conjunctivitis
conjunctiva n.
"mucous membrane of the inner surface of the eyelids," 1540s, medical Latin, short for membrana conjunctiva "conjunctive membrane" (see conjunctive). So called because it conjoins the lids and the globe of the eye. Related: Conjunctival.
-itis
word-forming element in medicine denoting "diseases characterized by inflammation" (of the specified part), Modern Latin, from Greek -itis, feminine of adjectival suffix -ites "pertaining to." Feminine because it was used with an implied nosos "disease," a feminine noun; especially in arthritis (nosos) "(disease) of the joints." Arthritis (16c.) was one of the earliest appearances of the suffix in English and from it the suffix was abstracted in other uses.