noun
- a muscle or device that causes expansion or widening of a body part or opening
Usage: medical/anatomical term; also spelled dilator
Examples
- The pupil dilatator muscle in the eye expands the pupil in low light.
- A nasal dilatator can help improve airflow during sleep.
- The surgeon used a dilatator to widen the passage before the procedure.
- Certain medications act as dilatators on blood vessels.
- The esophageal dilatator was carefully inserted to treat the stricture.