# risus sardonicus

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A rictus grin; an abnormal sustained spasm of the facial muscles that appears to produce grinning, characteristic of tetanus and of strychnine poisoning.

## Etymology
Latin

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/risus-sardonicus