rickets

noun

rick·​ets ˈri-kəts 

plural in form but singular in construction

: a deficiency disease that affects the young during the period of skeletal growth, is characterized especially by soft and deformed bones, and is caused by failure to assimilate and use calcium and phosphorus normally due to inadequate sunlight or vitamin D

Examples of rickets in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In children, a vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets, a condition that leads to softening and weakening of the bones. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2022

The team also noted malformation of the ribs in a pattern consistent with severe rickets or scurvy. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Jan. 2023

In children, hair loss can be a symptom of rickets. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2022

According to the National Institutes of Health, only about 5% of Americans have what is called a vitamin D deficiency — a serious medical condition that can lead to bone diseases such as rickets. —Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 30 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

rickets

noun

rick·​ets ˈrik-əts 

: a disease of young people and animals in which the bones are soft and deformed due to an inability of the body to use calcium and phosphorus because of a lack of vitamin D

Medical Definition

rickets

noun, plural in form but singular in construction

rick·​ets ˈrik-əts 

: a deficiency disease that affects the young during the period of skeletal growth, is characterized especially by soft and deformed bones, and is caused by failure to assimilate and use calcium and phosphorus normally due to inadequate sunlight or vitamin D

called also rachitis

see osteomalacia