gonorrhea

gon·or·rhea

noun \ˌgä-nə-ˈrē-ə\

Definition of GONORRHEA

: a contagious inflammation of the genital mucous membrane caused by the gonococcus —called also clap

— gon·or·rhe·al \-ˈrē-əl\ adjective

Origin of GONORRHEA

New Latin, from Late Latin, morbid loss of semen, from Greek gonorrhoia, from gon- + -rrhoia -rrhea

First Known Use: circa 1526

gon·or·rhea

noun    (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of GONORRHEA

: a contagious inflammation of the genital mucous membrane caused by the gonococcus—called also clap

—gon·or·rhe·al or chiefly British gon·or·rhoe·al \-ˈrē-əl\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

Variants of GONORRHEA

gon·or·rhea or chiefly British gon·or·rhoea \ˌgän-ə-ˈrē-ə\ (audio pronunciation)

gonorrhea

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Sexually transmitted disease. It is characterized by genitourinary inflammation, caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus). Symptoms in men include burning on urination, discharge of pus, and, with deeper infection, frequent urination, sometimes with blood. Women may have mild vaginal discharge and burning, but there is usually no sign until a sex partner is infected or complications—sometimes serious—arise from its spread beyond the cervix. If spontaneous recovery does not occur, it may cause sterility in both sexes but is rarely fatal. Gonorrhea is common worldwide. Penicillin, generally a successful treatment, reduced its incidence, but resistant strains are increasingly found. Many cases are not reported. Penicillin may also mask coexisting syphilis (since the dose to cure gonorrhea does not cure syphilis).