Rictus

Pronunciation: /ˈrɪktəs/

Definitions of rictus

noun a fixed grimace or grin, often of a corpse or a person in pain

Example Sentences

A1 She smiled with a wide rictus, showing all her teeth.

A2 The clown's painted rictus made the children laugh.

B1 His face contorted into a rictus of pain as he fell to the ground.

B2 The mask's frozen rictus gave the illusion of a permanent smile.

C1 The actor's rictus conveyed a sense of unease to the audience.

C2 The sculpture captured the agony of the figure with a haunting rictus on its face.

Examples of rictus in a Sentence

formal The corpse's face contorted into a rictus of agony.

informal He tried to smile but it came out as a weird rictus.

slang She had a creepy rictus grin on her face.

figurative The city skyline was outlined against the sky in a rictus of steel and glass.

Grammatical Forms of rictus

• plural: rictuses
• comparative: more rictus
• superlative: most rictus
• present tense: rictus
• future tense: will rictus
• perfect tense: has rictused
• continuous tense: is rictusing
• singular: rictus
• positive degree: rictus
• infinitive: to rictus
• gerund: rictusing
• participle: rictused

Origin and Evolution of rictus

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'rictus' originated from Latin, specifically from the word 'rictus' meaning 'gaping mouth or jaw'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'rictus' has come to be used in English to describe a fixed grimace or grin, often associated with death or extreme emotion.