Plural of gonococcus, bacteria that cause gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection.
From Greek 'gonos' (seed/generation) plus 'kokkos' (berry/spherical bacterium). The term was coined in 1879 by Neisser who discovered the bacteria responsible for gonorrhea.
These bacteria are named for their round shape (like berries) and their association with reproduction—Neisser literally called them 'generation berries' because they spread through intimate contact!
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