1. a device or structure that closes or blocks an opening
Usage: medical; technical
2. a muscle that covers the obturator foramen in the pelvis
Usage: anatomy

Examples

• The surgeon inserted an obturator to seal the opening in the patient’s palate.
• The obturator muscle helps stabilize the hip joint during movement.
• A prosthetic obturator was fitted to close the defect after surgery.
• The obturator foramen is the largest opening in the human pelvis.
• Physical therapy focused on strengthening the obturator muscles.
• The dental obturator helped the patient speak more clearly after the procedure.