- (functioning as singular or plural) a disease mainly of children, characterized by softening of developing bone, and hence bow legs, malnutrition, and enlargement of the liver and spleen, caused by a deficiency of vitamin D
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
rick•ets /ˈrɪkɪts/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable* used with a singular verb]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Pathologya childhood disease in which the bones soften from a low supply of vitamin D and not enough sunlight.
rick•ets
(rik′its),USA pronunciation n. [Pathol.]
- Pathologya disease of childhood, characterized by softening of the bones as a result of inadequate intake of vitamin D and insufficient exposure to sunlight, also associated with impaired calcium and phosphorus metabolism.
- origin, originally uncertain 1635–45
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
rickets /ˈrɪkɪts/ n
'rickets' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):