Crepitant

/ˈkrepɪtənt/ adjective

Definition

Making a crackling, snapping, or popping sound, often describing joints or certain medical conditions.

Etymology

From Latin 'crepitans' (present participle of 'crepitare' meaning to crackle). First used in medical terminology in the 17th century to describe joint sounds.

Kelly Says

Doctors use 'crepitant' to describe that popping sound your knees make when you squat—it comes from tiny bubbles of gas in your joint fluid bursting, like the Latin root literally means 'crackling'!

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