tetany

American

[tet-n-ee] / ˈtɛt n i /

noun

Pathology.

a state marked by severe, intermittent tonic contractions and muscular pain, due to abnormal calcium metabolism.

tetany British

/ ˈtɛtənɪ /

noun

pathol an abnormal increase in the excitability of nerves and muscles resulting in spasms of the arms and legs, caused by a deficiency of parathyroid secretion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tetany

From the New Latin word tetania, dating back to 1880–85. See tetanus, -y ³

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The refractory period is very long to prevent the possibility of tetany, a condition in which muscle remains involuntarily contracted.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

In the heart, tetany is not compatible with life, since it would prevent the heart from pumping blood.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Others, especially those suffering from a transient form of tetany, get better spontaneously.

From Time Magazine Archive

For example, giving antibiotics or deworming cattle because they look puny doesn' t do any good when cows are really dying of grass tetany because magnesium is short on spring pasture.

From Time Magazine Archive

In man, a condition of nervous over-excitability has been described as tetany.

From The Glands Regulating Personality by Berman, Louis, M.D.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023