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tet·a·nus
tetanus
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- pronunciation:
- te
t
ns
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun), Word Explorer
part of speech: |
noun |
definition 1: |
an often fatal infectious disease involving rigidness and spasms of the muscles, esp. in the neck and lower jaw, and caused by a bacterium that usu. gains entry to the body through a wound.
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definition 2: |
a state of muscular contraction that lasts much longer than normal, occurring as a reaction to a rapid series of stimuli.
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derivation: |
tetanoid (adj.) |
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