noun
- a serious bacterial infection that causes painful muscle spasms and stiffness, especially in the jaw muscles
Usage: medical term; also called tetanus
Examples
- The rusty nail wound led to a case of lockjaw.
- Vaccination prevents lockjaw and other serious diseases.
- The patient’s jaw muscles were rigid due to lockjaw.
- Lockjaw can be fatal if left untreated.
- The doctor administered a tetanus shot to prevent lockjaw.
- Symptoms of lockjaw include difficulty swallowing and muscle spasms.