What does gonorrhoea mean?
Gonorrhoea is a common name for a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It may affect the urethra, reproductive organs, rectum, throat, or eyes, and symptoms can include discharge, pain, and inflammation. Importantly, the infection often produces no noticeable symptoms, so people may have it without realizing it. Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics, and testing and prompt treatment are important because untreated infection can lead to complications including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and damage to other affected tissues. The word is most often encountered in medical guidance, sexual-health information, and public-health reports. In British English, the standard spelling is gonorrhoea; American English generally uses gonorrhea. The informal term clap is widely understood, particularly in British usage, but may be unsuitable in formal or sensitive contexts.
nounGonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It can infect the urethra, cervix, rectum, throat, or eyes and may cause painful urination and discharge, although many people have no symptoms.
- A sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
"She was diagnosed with gonorrhoea after a routine sexual health screening."
"The doctor prescribed antibiotics for the gonorrhoea infection."
"Public health officials warned that rates of gonorrhoea have been rising in some communities."
The noun is normally used in the singular for the disease, while the plural is used mainly when referring to multiple cases or infections.
"The clinic recorded several gonorrhoeas among its new patients."
Gonorrhoea can hide: many people have no symptoms at all, so regular testing can be more reliable than waiting for pain or discharge.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gonorrhoea come from?
The word comes through Latin from Ancient Greek, combining gonos, meaning “seed” or “semen,” with rhoia, meaning “flow.” The original term referred to a discharge of seed and was associated with the disease now called gonorrhoea. Related English words such as gonad and gonococcus preserve the same Greek element for “seed” or “semen.”
Related word forms
How gonorrhoea is actually used
Gonorrhoea is a formal medical term and is usually used in clinical, public-health, or educational contexts. In informal British English, the condition is commonly called clap; the American spelling is gonorrhea.
Easily confused with gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is the usual British spelling, while gonorrhea is the usual American spelling; both refer to the same infection.