Definition of "chlamydia" [chlamydia]

• Any of various gram-negative, coccoid microorganisms of the genus Chlamydia, especially C. psittaci and C. trachomatis, that are pathogenic to humans and other animals, causing conjunctivitis in cattle and sheep and trachoma, urethritis, and proctitis in humans. (noun)
• Any of several common, often asymptomatic, sexually transmitted diseases caused by the microorganism Chlamydia trachomatis. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "You know that if he did do something like that again that he might not just give you chlamydia, which is something we can treat."
• "Current guidelines recommend screening sexually active women who are age twenty-five and under every year for chlamydia, which is very common and may cause serious health problems if not treated."
• "The CDC calls chlamydia a hidden epidemic that affects millions of unwitting women, despite the fact it can easily be cured with antibiotics."