Anat. [mod.L., f. supīnāt-, supīnāre to SUPINATE: see -OR. Cf. F. supinateur (16th c.).] A muscle by which supination is effected or assisted; spec. one of two muscles of the fore-arm or fore limb, supinator radii brevis and supinator radii longus.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 783. The second supinator which is the shorter … ariseth fleshy.
1770. Pennant, in Phil. Trans., LX. 323. The tendinous muscles … have much the same effect on the tail as the supinator and pronators have in turning the hand.
1808. Barclay, Muscular Motions, 389. In rolling the arm, the rotators radiad co-operate with the muscles called supinators.
1872. Humphry, Myology, 42. In the dorsal aspect, the short or deep extensor is connected only with the lower edge of the supinator.
attrib. 1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., xliii. IV. 172. Insects … cannot have the Supinator and Pronator muscles.
1875. Encycl. Brit., I. 839/1. The supinator and pronator muscles are all inserted into the radius.
