Syphilis
/ˈsɪfɪlɪs/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A disease spread via sexual activity, caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. uncountable
- 2 a common venereal disease caused by the treponema pallidum spirochete; symptoms change through progressive stages; can be congenital (transmitted through the placenta) wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"Syphilis is an infection that can be transmitted through sexual intercourse."
Etymology
From New Latin syphilis, originally the title of a poem by Girolamo Fracastoro concerning “Syphilus”, a shepherd boy who insulted the Greek god Apollo and was punished by that god with a horrible disease.