Acting against or preventing tetanus, the serious disease caused by bacterial toxins that causes muscle stiffness and spasms.
From anti- (against) + tetanic (relating to tetanus). This medical term developed as vaccines and treatments for tetanus became available in the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Tetanus comes from the Greek word for 'tension' because the disease causes extreme muscle rigidity—antitetanic treatments literally fight back against this dangerous condition that killed millions before modern medicine.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.