noun
tetanus
TEHT-uhn-uhs
noun
1
A serious bacterial infection, often from a dirty wound, that causes severe muscle stiffness and spasms.
"He got a tetanus shot after stepping on a rusty nail."
2
A state of sustained, involuntary muscle contraction.
"The nerve signal caused tetanus in the muscle fibres."
How to Use Tetanus
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dangerous infection that makes muscles lock up, famously linked to rusty metal wounds.
Common pairings
tetanus shot
tetanus vaccine
tetanus infection
Word Forms
tetani plural, tetanuses plural
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He got a _____ shot after stepping on a rusty nail.
Etymology
From Latin tetanus, from Ancient Greek tetanos, related to teino, "to stretch" — describing how the disease pulls muscles into a rigid, locked state.