trismus

[triz-muhs, tris-]

noun

Pathology.

plural

trismuses 

1. a spasm of the jaw muscles that makes it difficult to open the mouth.

2. lockjaw.

trismus

/ ˈtrɪzməs /

noun

1. Nontechnical name: lockjaw. pathol the state or condition of being unable to open the mouth because of sustained contractions of the jaw muscles, caused by a form of tetanus

Other Word Forms

• trismic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of trismus¹

1685–95; < New Latin < Greek trismós a grinding

Word History and Origins

Origin of trismus¹

C17: from New Latin, from Greek trismos a grinding

Example Sentences

The woman on July 11 told doctors she had headache, jaw pain and trismus, a symptom that can mean jaw muscle spasms or locking.

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The clonic nature of the spasms and the entire absence of trismus serve to distinguish it from tetanus.

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It is recommended in the above mentioned doses for delirium tremens, trismus, tetanus and kindred diseases of the nervous system, repeated every hour or half-hour until relief is obtained.

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He rapidly developed blindness, trismus, difficulty in swallowing, and shortly lost consciousness.

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He," said he, looking round to the doctor, "calls it 'arachnoidal trismus,'—a thing, he says, that they have all of them ignored for many a day, though Charlemagne died of it.

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