RICTUS Definition Meaning - Merriam-Webster In Latin, rictus means "an open mouth"; it comes from the verb ringi, meaning "to open the mouth " Zoologists couldn't keep the word to themselves, though English speakers liked its sound too much, and they thought it would be good for referring to a gaping grin or grimace
Rictus - Definition, Meaning Synonyms | Vocabulary. com A rictus is a frozen, fake smile If the star of a play finds herself overcome by stage fright, she might forget her lines and stand, trembling, her mouth twisted into a rictus
rictus - Wiktionary, the free dictionary Noun [edit] rictus (plural rictus or rictuses) A bird ’s gaping mouth The throat of a calyx Any open-mouthed expression quotations His face was a rictus of sheer delight
RICTUS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary His lips were frozen upward in a horrible rictus of a smile 2 meanings: 1 the gap or cleft of an open mouth or beak 2 a fixed or unnatural grin or grimace, as in horror or death Click for more definitions
What does rictus mean? - Definitions. net A rictus is a fixed or unnatural grinning or grimacing expression, often revealing or suggesting distress, horror, or discomfort It is generally associated with the mouth being wide open