gonococcus

American  

[gon-uh-kok-uhs] / ˌgɒn əˈkɒk əs /

noun

plural

gonococci

1. the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, causing gonorrhea.

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gonococcus British  

/ ˌɡɒnəʊˈkɒkəs /

noun

1. a spherical Gram-negative bacterium, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, that causes gonorrhoea: family Neisseriaceae

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Other Word Forms

• gonococcal adjective
• gonococcic adjective
• gonococcoid adjective

Etymology

Origin of gonococcus

First recorded in 1885–90; gono- + -coccus

Example Sentences

The gonococcus has been resisting treatments and vying for superbug status for thousands of years.

From Slate • Oct. 25, 2011

Over the years, however, as the gonococcus has buffed up its defenses to antibiotics, doctors have had to prescribe higher and higher doses to combat it.

From Slate • Oct. 25, 2011

These, fortunately, include most of the bacteria which cause acute infections: the pneumococcus, more than half the streptococci, meningococcus, gonococcus and the spirochete of syphilis.

From Time Magazine Archive

But in a majority of cases of NGU, no gonococcus can be found�hence the name nongonococcal urethritis.

From Time Magazine Archive

This danger is greater from syphilis than from gonorrhea, for the reason that the spirochæta pallida is more virulent than the gonococcus.

From The Social Emergency Studies in Sex Hygiene and Morals by Foster, William Trufant