It is often used in medical terms to describe a state of sustained muscle contraction, like in tetanus, a serious bacterial infection that causes painful muscle spasms.
Here are some examples:
* Tetanus: A bacterial infection that causes muscle spasms.
* Tetanic contraction: A sustained muscle contraction without relaxation.
* Tetanize: To cause a muscle to undergo sustained contraction.
The prefix "tetan" essentially conveys the idea of "rigidity" or "sustained contraction".