lidocaine

American

[lahy-duh-kayn] / ˈlaɪ dəˌkeɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

a synthetic crystalline powder, C 14 H 22 N 2 O, used as a local anesthetic and also in the management of certain arrhythmias.

lidocaine British

/ ˈlaɪdəˌkeɪn /

noun

Also called: lignocaine. a powerful local anaesthetic administered by injection, or topically to mucous membranes. Formula: C 14 H 22 N 2 O.HCl.H 2 O

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lidocaine Scientific

/ lī′də-kān′ /

A synthetic amide, C ₁₄ H ₂₂ N ₂ O, used chiefly in the form of its hydrochloride as a local anesthetic.

Etymology

Origin of lidocaine

(acetani)lid(e) + -o- + -caine, extracted from cocaine (to designate an anesthetic)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

lidocaine

The numbing lidocaine was injected first and sprayed down my windpipe, making me feel as if I were drowning.

From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2026

My scalp was a little bloody, but thanks to a few pokes of lidocaine, the injections were relatively painless.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025

In this recommendation, the CDC stated that paracervical block with lidocaine might reduce patient pain.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2024

Doctors might also offer a topical lidocaine gel or spray, but the evidence on its effectiveness is mixed, Goldstein said.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 14, 2023

“The local anesthesia we use is usually lidocaine, which doesn’t disrupt the mental abilities of our patients, so they are able to drive themselves home,” he said in an email.

From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2023

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023