Definition of rigor mortis in English:
rigor mortis
noun ˈmɔːtɪsˌrɪɡər ˈmɔrdəs
mass nounMedicine Stiffening of the joints and muscles of a body a few hours after death, usually lasting from one to four days.
Example sentencesExamples
- He tries to slide the ring off his mother's finger, but rigor mortis has set in.
- I tried to remove a newspaper from his hand, but rigor mortis had practically grafted it to his skin.
- Everybody experiences gradual muscular rigor mortis, where over time you become stiffer and stiffer and stiffer.
- After death, bodies are rubbed and anointed to remove rigor mortis.
- When they brought the bodies up, rigor mortis had set in on one women's body so strongly that they couldn't separate the mother from her child.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Latin, literally 'stiffness of death'.
Definition of rigor mortis in US English:
rigor mortis
nounˌrɪɡər ˈmɔrdəsˌriɡər ˈmôrdəs
Medicine Stiffening of the joints and muscles of a body a few hours after death, usually lasting from one to four days.
Example sentencesExamples
- After death, bodies are rubbed and anointed to remove rigor mortis.
- He tries to slide the ring off his mother's finger, but rigor mortis has set in.
- When they brought the bodies up, rigor mortis had set in on one women's body so strongly that they couldn't separate the mother from her child.
- I tried to remove a newspaper from his hand, but rigor mortis had practically grafted it to his skin.
- Everybody experiences gradual muscular rigor mortis, where over time you become stiffer and stiffer and stiffer.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Latin, literally ‘stiffness of death’.