rictus

American  

[rik-tuhs] / ˈrɪk təs /

noun

plural

rictus, rictuses

1. the gape of the mouth of a bird.

2. the gaping or opening of the mouth.

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rictus British  

/ ˈrɪktəs /

noun

1. the gap or cleft of an open mouth or beak

2. a fixed or unnatural grin or grimace, as in horror or death

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Other Word Forms

• rictal adjective
• subrictal adjective

Etymology

Origin of rictus

1750–60; < Latin: wide-open mouth, equivalent to rig-, variant stem of ringī to open the mouth wide + -tus suffix of v. action.

Example Sentences

Zola finishes her speech and grins uncomfortably at the rictus breaking across Stefani’s face and the glowing eyes above it.

From Salon

She then paused five long seconds, her face a rictus of wonderment and concern, allowing the observation and admission — from a sitting member of the United States Senate, no less — to sink in.

From Los Angeles Times

Quayle’s stricken look — a rictus of shock and humiliation — spoke to the devastation of the rejoinder after which, it’s fair to say, his callow image never fully faded.

From Los Angeles Times

Coverage of his personal appearances focused on his obvious discomfort in meeting with strangers and his fruitless efforts to laugh or even crack a smile, which tended to produce only a hideous facial rictus.

From Los Angeles Times

It doesn’t take much for clowns to be creepy — the unnatural colors and rictus grins do the heavy lifting — an effect that’s been exploited by schlock horror for eons.

From New York Times