tetanus

[ tet-n-uh s ]
/ ˈtɛt n əs /

noun

Pathology. an infectious, often fatal disease caused by a specific bacterium that enters the body through wounds and characterized by respiratory paralysis and tonic spasms and rigidity of the voluntary muscles, especially those of the neck and lower jaw. Compare lockjaw.
Also called tetanus bacillus. Bacteriology. the bacterium, Clostridium tetani, causing this disease.
Physiology. a state of sustained contraction of a muscle during which the muscle does not relax to its initial length or tension, induced by a rapid succession of stimuli.

Origin of tetanus

1350–1400; < Latin < Greek tétanos spasm (of muscles), tetanus; replacing Middle English tetane < Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM tetanus

tet·a·nal, adjective tet·a·noid, adjective

Words nearby tetanus

tetanize, tetano-, tetanode, tetanoid, tetanospasmin, tetanus, tetanus and gas gangrene antitoxin, tetanus antitoxin, tetanus immune globulin, tetanus neonatorum, tetanus toxin

British Dictionary definitions for tetanoid

tetanus
/ (ˈtɛtənəs) /

noun

Also called: lockjaw an acute infectious disease in which sustained muscular spasm, contraction, and convulsion are caused by the release of exotoxins from the bacterium, Clostridium tetani : infection usually occurs through a contaminated wound
physiol any tense contraction of a muscle, esp when produced by electric shocks

Derived forms of tetanus

tetanal, adjective tetanoid, adjective

Word Origin for tetanus

C16: via Latin from Greek tetanos, from tetanos taut, from teinein to stretch

Medical definitions for tetanoid (1 of 2)

tetanoid
[ tĕt′n-oid′ ]

adj.

Resembling tetanus.
Resembling tetany.

Medical definitions for tetanoid (2 of 2)

tetanus
[ tĕt′n-əs ]

n.

An acute, often fatal disease that is characterized by spasmodic contraction of voluntary muscles, especially one occurring in the neck and jaw, and that is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which usually enters the body through an infected wound and produces a neurotoxin. lockjaw
A state of continuous muscular contraction, especially when induced artificially by rapidly repeated stimuli.

Scientific definitions for tetanoid

tetanus
[ tĕt′n-əs ]

An acute, often fatal infectious disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which usually enters the body through a wound and produces a toxin that affects nerve conduction. Tetanus is characterized by painful, spasmodic contractions of voluntary muscles, especially of the jaw.

Cultural definitions for tetanoid

tetanus
[ (tet-n-uhs, tet-nuhs) ]

An acute and infectious disease caused by the toxin produced by a kind of bacteria that enters the body through cuts or wounds; also called lockjaw. In tetanus, the muscles of the body, particularly the muscles of the jaw, contract in painful spasms. Tetanus is deadly but can be prevented through immunization (tetanus shots).