RIGOR MORTIS Meaning of RIGOR MORTIS in English [ 'mɔ:tɪs ]■ noun Medicine stiffening of the joints and muscles a few hours after death, lasting from one to four days.OriginC19: from L., lit. 'stiffness of death'. Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004