Click on the structure to specify the target of your label
![]() |
01 | ![]() |
Oblique head of adductor pollicis
Other Terms:
Caput obliquum (Musculus adductor pollicis),
Caput obliquum musculus adductoris pollicis
Muscle parts
Oblique head; Transverse head
Latin name
Musculus adductor pollicis
Latin muscle parts
Caput obliquum; Caput transversum
Group
Hand muscle – thenar group
Etymology
In English, this muscle’s name is the muscle that leads the thumb toward (the palm). Adductor is a term that describes the function or action of the muscle. It literally means to draw or to lead toward and is derived from the Latin ad meaning “toward” and ducere meaning “to lead or to draw.”The Latin pollex meaning “thumb” arises from the Latin polleo meaning “to be strong,” as the thumb was the strongest of the fingers.
Origin
Transverse head – palmar, distal half of the shaft of the 3rd metacarpal bone.Oblique head – capitate bone and the base of the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones.
Insertion
Ulnar side of the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb (the tendon contains a sesamoid bone).
Action
Adduction of the thumb.
Nerve supply
Ulnar nerve (C8 and T1)
Blood supply
Branches from the deep palmar arch; muscular branches of the radial artery - the princeps pollicis and radialis indicis arteries.
Latin
Caput obliquum musculus adductoris pollicis