adductor

noun

ad·​duc·​tor ə-ˈdək-tər 

a-

1

: a muscle that draws a part toward the median line of the body or toward the axis of an extremity

2

: a muscle that closes the valves of a bivalve mollusk

Examples of adductor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tkachuk — who had surgery to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia over the summer, about two months after helping the Panthers win their second straight Stanley Cup — went through morning skate on Monday and was added to the lineup for Florida’s game against San Jose that night. —Tim Reynolds, Sun Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2026

Tkachuk - who had surgery to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia over the summer, about two months after helping the Panthers win their second straight Stanley Cup - went through morning skate on Monday and was added to the lineup for Florida's game against San Jose that night. —CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026

So when an issue with his adductor flared up in the preseason, Guhle opted to rest it. —Arpon Basu, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026

Then another adductor strain last month, and now this. —Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, going back to Late Latin, "conductor," from Latin addūcere "to lead or bring (to a place)" + -tor, agent suffix — more at adduce

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

adductor

noun

ad·​duc·​tor ə-ˈdək-tər 

: a muscle that draws a body part (as an arm or finger) toward or past a plane or a line that divides the body or a hand or foot into right and left halves

Medical Definition

adductor

noun

ad·​duc·​tor -ˈdək-tər 

1

: any of three powerful triangular muscles that contribute to the adduction of the human thigh:

a

: one arising from the superior ramus of the pubis and inserted into the middle third of the linea aspera

called also adductor longus

b

: one arising from the inferior ramus of the pubis and inserted into the iliopectineal line and the upper part of the linea aspera

called also adductor brevis

c

: one arising from the inferior ramus of the pubis and the ischium and inserted behind the first two into the linea aspera

called also adductor magnus

2

: any of several muscles other than the adductors of the thigh that draw a part toward the median line of the body or toward the axis of an extremity