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Glite Dictionary
rectus lateralis

rectus lateralis

7.0
A muscle on the outer side of the eye that turns the eye outward
  • noun
  • /ˈrɛktəs ˌleɪtəˈrælɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : recto lateral
  • Damage to the rectus lateralis can cause the eye to turn inward abnormally.

Examples

  • During the operation, the surgeon carefully avoided the rectus lateralis to prevent double vision.

  • The ophthalmologist tested the function of my rectus lateralis during the eye exam.

  • The rectus lateralis is crucial for eye movement.

  • During the surgery, the doctor examined the rectus lateralis muscle.

  • The surgeon pointed out the rectus lateralis, explaining its role in moving the eye outward.

  • In her anatomy class, she learned that the rectus lateralis helps control the outward movement of the eye.

  • A problem with the rectus lateralis could lead to difficulties in seeing objects to the side.

Synonyms

lateral rectus muscle
vsrectus lateralis
  • Specialized
6.4

A muscle on the outer side of the eye that turns the eye outward away from the nose

is given simply as the outer muscle that moves the eye outward
lateral rectus
vsrectus lateralis
  • Specialized
6.7

A muscle on the outer side of the eye that moves it away from the nose

is the same muscle described without explicitly naming nose direction
abducens muscle
vsrectus lateralis
  • Specialized
8.6

A muscle that moves the eye outward away from the nose

is presented as a location-based outer muscle rather than a control-focused term

Surface Forms

rectus lateralis singular
rectus lateralis plural

Morphology

rectus + lateralis

The compound is compositionally interpretable: 'rectus' (a straight muscle) combined with 'lateralis' (lateral, away from the midline) yields a straight muscle located to the side, so its lateral location is predictable. However, identifying it specifically as the eyeball muscle that abducts the eye (moves it outward) depends on anatomical convention and encyclopedic knowledge rather than simple lexical composition, so the full sense is not immediately derivable by a B1 learner.

Etymology

Rectus lateralis comes from Latin words rectus meaning 'straight' and lateralis meaning 'side'. It is the 'straight' muscle at the side of the eye that pulls the eye outward, so the name tells you what the muscle does.