Syphilis

['sɪfɪlɪs]

Definition

(noun.) a common venereal disease caused by the treponema pallidum spirochete; symptoms change through progressive stages; can be congenital (transmitted through the placenta).

Edited by Ingram--From WordNet

Definition

(n.) The pox, or venereal disease; a chronic, specific, infectious disease, usually communicated by sexual intercourse or by hereditary transmission, and occurring in three stages known as primary, secondary, and tertiary syphilis. See under Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary.

Editor: Margaret

Definition

n. a markedly contagious infective and inoculable disease capable of being transmitted to the offspring propagated by direct contagion or by the transmission of the virus through some vessel or medium which has recently been contaminated—most commonly caused by impure sexual intercourse.—n. Syphilisā′tion.—v.t. Syph′ilise to attempt to inoculate the system with the virus of syphilis as a preventive and curative measure.—adj. Syphilit′ic.—n. Syphilog′raphy the description of syphilis.—adj. Syph′iloid relating to syphilis.—ns. Syphilol′ogist one versed in syphilology; Syphilol′ogy the knowledge of syphilis; Syphilō′ma a syphilitic tumour; Syphilophō′bia a morbid dread of contracting syphilis.

Inputed by Claude