abductor
n.n. a muscle or part of the body that moves a limb away from the center of the body. For example, the muscle that moves your arm away from your side.
n. a muscle or anatomical structure that moves a limb or part away from the midline of the body. Often used in medical or anatomical contexts to describe specific musculature.
The abductor muscle helps you move your leg outward.
The surgeon carefully identified the abductor muscle to ensure the patient's hip joint remained stable after the operation.
Injuries to the abductor muscles can significantly impair lateral movement, requiring targeted physical therapy to restore the full range of motion and prevent long-term gait abnormalities.
Borrowed from Latin abductor, By surface analysis, abduct + -or.
From Medieval Latin abductor, from abdūcō + -tor.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 18, 2026