tetanus

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun an acute and serious infection of the central nervous system caused by bacterial infection of open wounds; spasms of the jaw and laryngeal muscles may occur during the late stages
noun a sustained muscular contraction resulting from a rapid series of nerve impulses

From Latin tetanus, from Ancient Greek τέτανος (tétanos), from τείνω (teínō, “to stretch”).

I received his farewell between Gaza and El-Arish, where he died of tetanus. — Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete, Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne
“A powerful South American arrow-poison occurring in commerce as a blackish extract, somewhat resinoid in appearance,” used for tetanus, hydrophobia, epilepsy (_Dict. — The North-West Amazons: Notes of some months spent among cannibal tribes, Thomas Whiffen
Oh, spare me!” “That the symptoms of tetanus and poisoning by vegetable substances are the same.” M. de Villefort started from his seat, then in a moment fell down again, silent and motionless. — The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas

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