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| tet·a·nus [ tétt'nəss ] |
noun |
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1. infectious disease: an acute infectious disease, usually contracted through a penetrating wound, that causes severe muscular spasms and contractions, especially around the neck and jaw. The spasms are caused by a toxin released by the bacterium Clostridium tetani.
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2. muscle contraction: sustained muscle contraction, e.g. induced by electrical stimulation
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| [14th century. Via Latin< Greek tetanos "muscular spasm" < teinein "stretch"] |
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 tet·a·nal adjective |
| tet·a·noid adjective |
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