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, adjectiveWords nearby tetanus
British Dictionary definitions for tetanus
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, adjectiveWord Origin for tetanus
C16: via Latin from Greek
tetanos, from
tetanos taut, from
teinein to stretch
Medical definitions for tetanus
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 tetanus
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 tetanus
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).