gonorrhœa
(gɒnəˈriːə)
Also 6 gomoria, gomory, gonorrhey, 7 gonor, gonorrhea.
[med.L. gonorrhœa, ad. Gr. γονόῤῥοια, f. γόνος seed + ῥοία flux; so called because it was supposed to be a discharge of semen.
With the forms gomoria, gomory, cf. OF. gomorree (14th c.), It. gomorrea; it is doubtful whether this spelling suggested or was suggested by the etym. given in quot. 1547.]
An inflammatory discharge of mucus from the membrane of the urethra or vagina.
| 1547 [see b]. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 67 The vattir lille, quhilk is ane remeid contrar gomoria. 1597 Gerarde Herbal. i. xxxv. §8. 50 The Gonorrhey or running of the raines. 1631 Massinger Emperor East iv. iii. The gonorrhea, or if you will hear it In a plainer phrase, the pox. 1710 T. Fuller Pharm. Extemp. 29 It's prescrib'd..in a Gonorrhœa. 1794–6 E. Darwin Zoon. (1801) I. 425 In the urethra it has the name of gonorrhœa. 1884 M. Mackenzie Dis. Throat & Nose II. 294 The inflammation results..in some still rarer instances from gonorrhœa. |
| fig. 1598 E. Guilpin Skial. (1878) 31 Filthing chaste eares with theyr pens Gonorrhey. |
† b. attrib., in
gonorrhœa passion.
| 1547 Boorde Brev. Health clxvi. (1557) 59 b, The 166 Chapitre doth shewe of a Gomory passion..[Gomerra passio, it is named so because Gomer and Sodome dyd synke for such lyke matter]. 1579 Langham Gard. Health (1633) 406 [For] Gonor passion, anoynt thy yard and clothes with Camphire. |
Hence
gonoˈrrhœal, -ˈeal,
† gonoˈrrhœan adjs., of, pertaining to, or affected with gonorrhœa.
| 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 39 A plaister against the Gonorrhœan passion. 1611 Cotgr., Pisse-chaude, a burnt P. also, the Venerian flux; the Gonorrhean or contagious, running. 1807 Med. Jrnl. XVII. 573 On the identity of gonorrhœal and chancrous virus. 1860 Sir H. Thompson Dis. Prostate (1868) 51 Acute inflammation of the urethra of any kind, but especially the gonorrheal. |