tetanus

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a serious infection caused by Clostridium tetani, marked by painful muscle stiffness and spasms

   Vaccination has made tetanus uncommon in countries with strong immunization programs.

2. 2
   noun

   physiology: a sustained muscular contraction produced by rapidly repeated stimuli

   Rapid stimulation produced tetanus in the isolated muscle.

From Latin tetanus, from Ancient Greek tetanos ("muscular spasm"), from teinein ("to stretch").

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