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

Adductor Machine The adductor muscles are located on the inner thigh and work together with the hip abductors (outer hip muscles) and other muscles to maintain proper knee alignment during dynamic movements. —Jakob Roze, Health, 18 June 2026

However, Matthew Tkachuk was already bound to miss at least the first 47 games recovering from surgery to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia. —David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026

Professor Ernest Schilders is an orthopaedic surgeon with specialist expertise in the management and surgical treatment of hip, groin, adductor, hamstring and quadriceps injuries. —Liam Twomey, New York Times, 10 June 2026

His injury was diagnosed as right adductor soreness. —ABC News, 22 May 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

Rhymes for adductor

• abductor
• conductor
• constructor
• destructor
• inductor
• instructor
• mukhtar
• semiconductor
• superconductor

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