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rictus
[ rik-tuhs ]
noun
, plural ric·tus, ric·tus·es.
- the gape of the mouth of a bird.
- the gaping or opening of the mouth.
rictus
/ ˈrɪktəs /
noun
- the gap or cleft of an open mouth or beak
- a fixed or unnatural grin or grimace, as in horror or death
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Derived Forms
- ˈrictal, adjective
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Other Words From
- rictal adjective
- sub·rictal adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of rictus1
1750–60; < Latin: wide-open mouth, equivalent to rig-, variant stem of ringī to open the mouth wide + -tus suffix of v. action.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of rictus1
C18: from Latin, from ringī to gape
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Example Sentences
The lovely lips twisted into a rictus sneer, frightening on that smooth young face, until she got them under control.
From Project Gutenberg
Then his mouth twisted in a rictus of dreadful mirth, so wrung was he with pain, yet so overcome by what he had seen.
From Project Gutenberg
Vargus grinned suddenly, a momentary rictus that came and went, utterly horrible.
From Project Gutenberg
Rictus ampli, ad mandibul superioris basin vibrissis rigidis armati.
From Project Gutenberg
He lay back on the pillows again, with a smile that was twisted into a rictus of agony as a twinge wrung the injured limb.
From Project Gutenberg
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