Definition

1. Noun:
   • A communicable infection transmitted by sexual intercourse or genital contact: "Venus's curse" is an archaic or literary term for a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The name references Venus, the Roman goddess of love, implying the infection is an unfortunate consequence of sexual activity.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In historical texts, syphilis was often referred to as Venus's curse.
  • The poet lamented the "Venus's curse" that afflicted the soldiers returning from war.

Advanced Usage

• The term is considered outdated and is primarily found in historical, literary, or poetic contexts. Modern medical and common language uses terms like "sexually transmitted disease (STD)" or "sexually transmitted infection (STI)."
• It often carries a moralistic or judgmental connotation, associating the disease with perceived sexual misconduct.

Variants and Related Words

• Venereal disease (VD): An older clinical term, now largely superseded by STD/STI, derived from Venus.
• Cupid's disease: A similar archaic euphemism referencing Cupid, the Roman god of desire.

Synonyms

• Sexually transmitted disease (STD): A disease spread by sexual contact.
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI): An infection spread by sexual contact.
• Social disease: An old-fashioned euphemism.

Related Phrases

• The French disease: An archaic nationalistic term for syphilis.
• The Spanish disease: Another archaic nationalistic term for syphilis.

Related Idioms

• A curse of Venus: A less common variant of the same term.
  • He feared he had contracted a curse of Venus.

Noun

1. a communicable infection transmitted by sexual intercourse or genital contact