How to Pronounce Obturator Externus

Say it like this: OB-too-ray-tor ek-STER-nus. The stress falls on the first syllable of each word—OB and STER are the loud parts. If you say it slowly, it sounds like "ob-too-RAY-tor" and "ek-STER-nus" run together.

There are two main stress points: OB in "obturator" and STER in "externus." A common mistake is stressing the wrong part of obturator—people sometimes say "ob-too-RAY-tor" with the stress in the middle, but it should be OB-too-ray-tor with the stress up front.

Obturator breaks down like this: OB-tu-ra-tor (four syllables). Each part gets its own beat: OB (stress) - tu - ra - tor.

Externus has three syllables: ex-STER-nus. The middle syllable STER gets the stress, so it sounds like "ek-STER-nus" when you say it out loud.

Obturator comes from Latin and means "something that closes or blocks." It refers to the obturator foramen, which is a large opening in the hip bone, and this muscle covers part of it like a lid or plug.

Externus is Latin for "outer" or "external." It's used in anatomy to show that this muscle is on the outside surface of the hip structure, as opposed to an inner version.

The obturator externus is the outer muscle that covers part of a large opening in your hip bone. Its name literally means "the external muscle that closes the obturator opening." It's one of the deep muscles on the outside of your hip.

Yes! There is also the obturator internus, which is an inner hip muscle. Both muscles are named after the obturator foramen (the opening they're associated with), but externus means outer and internus means inner.

Here's an example: "The obturator externus is one of the deep muscles that help move your hip." You might also hear it in an anatomy class or health context when someone is describing the muscles of the hip.