spasm / ˈspazəm/ • n. a sudden involuntary muscular contraction or convulsive movement. ∎  a sudden and brief spell of an activity or sensation: a spasm of coughing woke him. ∎  prolonged involuntary muscle contraction: the airways in the lungs go into spasm.

spasm sudden or violent muscular contraction. XIV. — (O)F. spasme or L. spasmus, spasma — Gr. spasmǒs, spásma, f. spân draw, pull.
So spasmodic marked by spasms or twitches XVII; intermittent XIX. — modL. spasmōdicus, f. Gr. spasmṓdēs. spastic marked by spasmodic symptoms. XVIII. — L. spasticus — Gr. spastikṓs.

spasm Sustained involuntary muscle contraction. It may occur in response to pain, or as part of a generalized condition, such as spastic paralysis or tetanus.

spasm (spazm) n. a sustained involuntary muscular contraction, which may occur either as part of a generalized disorder or as a local response to an otherwise unconnected painful condition. carpopedal s. a spasm that affects the muscles of the hands and feet and is caused by a reduction in the blood calcium level (often transitory), as in hyperventilation.