How to Pronounce Obturator

Say it like this: OB-too-ray-tor. Start with 'OB' (rhymes with 'rob'), then 'too' (like the word 'two'), then 'ray' (like the word 'ray' of sunshine), and finish with 'tor' (like 'door' without the 'd'). The stress falls on the first syllable, so say it a bit louder and longer than the others.

Break it into four syllables: ob-tu-ra-tor. Each part is roughly one beat when you say it out loud.

The first syllable, 'OB,' gets the stress—you say it louder and hold it slightly longer. A common mistake is stressing the second or third syllable instead, so remember: OB-too-ray-tor, not ob-TOO-ray-tor.

An obturator is a solid plug or stopper that fits inside a hollow tube-shaped surgical tool. Think of it like a cork in a bottle—it blocks the opening until it's removed, and then things can flow through.

It comes from the Latin word 'obturare,' which means 'to stop up' or 'to close.' The suffix '-tor' means 'something that does the action,' so 'obturator' literally means 'something that closes or blocks.'

Yes! The word 'obturation' (ob-too-RAY-shun) uses the same Latin root and means the act of blocking or closing something. You might also hear 'obturate' (OB-too-rayt), which is the verb form meaning to close or stop up.

Here's an example: 'The surgeon removed the obturator from the trocar before inserting the instrument deeper into the body.' This shows how the obturator is a temporary guide that gets taken out once it has done its job.

'Obturator' (OB-too-ray-tor) is a noun—it names the actual device or object itself. 'Obturation' (ob-too-RAY-shun) is also a noun but refers to the action or process of blocking or closing, not the tool doing it.