dilator

American  

[dahy-ley-ter, dih-, dahy-ley-] / daɪˈleɪ tər, dɪ-, ˈdaɪ leɪ- /

Or dilater

noun

1. Anatomy. a muscle that dilates some cavity of the body.

2. Surgery. an instrument for dilating body canals, orifices, or cavities.

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dilator British  

/ daɪˈleɪtə, dɪ-, ˌdɪ-, ˌdaɪləˈteɪtə /

noun

1. something that dilates an object, esp a surgical instrument for dilating a bodily cavity

2. a muscle that expands an orifice or dilates an organ

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Etymology

Origin of dilator

First recorded in 1595–1605; dilate + -or ²

Example Sentences

He noted that nasal strips, nasal dilators, and throat and tongue exercises can also address snoring.

From Seattle Times

Chin straps, nose clips and strips, nostril dilators — be wary of them, Dr. Chang said, they don’t work for everyone.

From New York Times

My boyfriend and I broke up, but being single for a while gave me time to get better at my own pace, trying a combination of dilators, getting support from a counsellor and massage.

From The Guardian

Its old-timey cases reveal marvelous medical curiosities: leeches, snake oil, voodoo love drops and rectal dilators that promised to cure insomnia, piles and other ills.

From Washington Post

The camera stands petrified by his toilette: his zesty dental flossing and dorky nasal dilators, the creams he gobs on his soft feet and disappointing pate.

From The New Yorker