Why Is Gonorrhea Called "The Clap"?

The most commonly cited theory traces the term to the French word "clapier," meaning brothel (literally "rabbit hutch," extended to mean a place where sex work occurred). Under this theory, someone who visited a "clapier" and came away with the infection was said to have caught something from the clapier — eventually shortened to "the clap."

A second theory points to old, and now discredited, treatment practices — the idea that clapping or striking the affected area was believed by some to help relieve the discharge associated with the infection, though solid historical documentation for this one is thinner than for the brothel theory.

Whichever explanation is closer to accurate, the term has been in use since at least the 16th century, which tells you this infection — and slang for it — has been around a long time.

Gonorrhea is a bacterial STD caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It commonly causes burning during urination and discharge, though a meaningful share of infections — especially in women — cause no symptoms at all. It's treatable with antibiotics, though antibiotic-resistant strains have become enough of a public health concern that treatment guidelines have gotten more specific about which antibiotics to use.