rotator

UK: /rəʊˈteɪtə/ US: (rō′tā tər or, esp. Brit, rō tā′-)

Inflections of 'rotator' (n):

rotators

npl (All usages)

rotatores

npl (US: for the muscle only)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ro•ta•tor  (rō′tā tər or, esp. Brit, rō tā′-), n., pl. ro•ta•tors for 1, 3, ro•ta•tor•es (rō′tə tôr′ēz, -tōr′-) for 2.

1. a person or thing that rotates.
2. Anatomy a muscle serving to rotate a part of the body.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms a bladed device streamed to rotate in the water to actuate a patent log.

• Latin rotātor, equivalent. to rotā(re) (see rotate¹) + -tor -tor
• 1670–80

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

rotator / rəʊˈteɪtə/ noun

1. a person, device, or part that rotates or causes rotation
2. any of various muscles that revolve a part on its axis