rictus
[ rik-tuhs ]
/ ˈrɪk təs /
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noun, plural ric·tus, ric·tus·es.
the gape of the mouth of a bird.
the gaping or opening of the mouth.
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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.
OTHER WORDS FROM rictus
rictal, adjectivesub·ric·tal, adjectiveWords nearby rictus
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for rictus
British Dictionary definitions for rictus
rictus
/ (ˈrɪktəs) /
noun plural -tus or -tuses
the gap or cleft of an open mouth or beak
a fixed or unnatural grin or grimace, as in horror or death
Derived forms of rictus
rictal, adjectiveWord Origin for rictus
C18: from Latin, from ringī to gape
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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