tophus

noun

to·phus ˈtō-fəs

plural tophi ˈtō-ˌfī -ˌfē

: a deposit of urates in tissues (such as cartilage) that is characteristic of gout

Word History

Etymology

Latin, tufa

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of tophus was in 1607

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

top-hole

tophus

topi

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tophus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tophus. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

tophus

noun

to·phus ˈtō-fəs

plural tophi ˈtō-ˌfī -ˌfē

: a deposit of urates in tissues (as cartilage) characteristic of gout

Popular in Grammar & Usage

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Popular Features

tophus

noun

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

permeate