lateral rectus

noun

The longest of the four extraocular muscles of the eyeball in the orbit, which arises by two heads from the border of the optic foramen and inserts into the lateral aspect of the sclera.

Similar
abducens musclelateral rectus musclerectus lateralis
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Meanings

nounlateral rectus (plural lateral recti)

plural lateral recti · alternative lateral rectus muscle · alternative rectus lateralis

  1. anatomyThe longest of the four extraocular muscles of the eyeball in the orbit, which arises by two heads from the border of the optic foramen and inserts into the lateral aspect of the sclera.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe ocular muscle whose contraction turns the eyeball outward

Similar
abducens musclelateral rectus musclerectus lateralis
Broader
ocular muscleeye muscle
Also see
abducens muscle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 外直肌
  • 外直肌 (wàizhíjī)muscle
Italian muscolo retto laterale
  • muscolo retto lateralemuscle
Spanish recto lateral, músculo recto lateral
  • recto lateralmuscle
  • músculo recto lateralmuscle
Cite this entry
APA

lateral rectus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lateral%20rectus

MLA

“lateral rectus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lateral%20rectus. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lateral rectus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lateral%20rectus.

Source: lateral rectus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.