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gonorrhea

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(gän′ə rē′ə)

noun

an infectious venereal disease caused by gonococci, characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the genitourinary tract and a discharge of mucous and pus: it can seriously affect other mucous membranes, esp. those of the eye, as in a baby during childbirth

Origin: LL gonorrhoea < Gr gonorrhoia < gonos, a seed, semen (see gonad) + rhoia < rheein, to flow: see stream

Related Forms:

gonorrheal adjective or gonorrhoeal

See gonorrhea in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A sexually transmitted disease caused by gonococcal bacteria that affects the mucous membrane chiefly of the genital and urinary tracts and is characterized by an acute purulent discharge and painful or difficult urination, though women often have no symptoms.

Origin:

Origin: Greek gonorrhoia, flow of seed (from the mistaken belief that the discharge contained semen)

Origin: : gono-, gono-

Origin: + -rhoia, -rrhea

Related Forms: