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retractor

American  
[ri-trak-ter] / rɪˈtræk tər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that retracts.

  2. Anatomy. a muscle that retracts an organ or protruded part.

  3. Surgery. an instrument or appliance for drawing back an impeding part, as the edge of an incision.

  4. a mechanism, device, or the like that regulates retraction.

    to adjust the retractor on a seat belt.


retractor British  
/ rɪˈtræktə /

noun

  1. anatomy any of various muscles that retract an organ or part

  2. surgery an instrument for holding back the edges of a surgical incision or organ or part

  3. a person or thing that retracts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of retractor

First recorded in 1830–40; retract 1 + -or 2


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Clip: Okay I need a saw and a retractor.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 21, 2023

"Staff involved have no explanation for how the retractor ended up in the abdominal cavity, or why it was not identified prior to closure," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2023

They scrape off letters and use temporary paper tags and even retractor mechanisms.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2022

It was the juxtaposition between my previous rotation, which was vascular surgery, where you’re standing for like six-hour cases, holding the retractor and you have really sick patients.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 11, 2022

Fearful things: bonesaws, abdomen retractor, trocar and trepan.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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