noun
clap
A slang term for gonorrhea.
She asks her doctor whether the clap can be cured.
Etymology
Probably from Old French clapier in its brothel sense. The derivation is uncertain and is not a connection with hand-clapping.
More examples
- The nurse explains that the clap is another name for gonorrhea.
- He gets tested for the clap even though he has no symptoms.
- Antibiotics can treat the clap, but a doctor must prescribe them.
Forms
clap
Similar words
- gonorrhea
- The standard medical name, appropriate in formal or clinical contexts.