subcutaneous
Americanadjective
-
situated or lying under the skin, as tissue.
-
performed or introduced under the skin, as an injection by a syringe.
-
living below the several layers of the skin, as certain parasites.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of subcutaneous
From the Late Latin word subcutāneus, dating back to 1645–55. See sub-, cutaneous
Explanation
The adjective subcutaneous is a medical term that describes anything that exists or is inserted just below the skin. Unfortunately, you're most likely to hear the word subcutaneous at the hospital or doctor's office when you're just about to get a shot. The word itself is made up of sub, which is "under" in Latin, and cutaneous, which comes from cutis, meaning "skin." The only actual synonym for subcutaneous is hypodermic, which also usually describes a needle that is inserted below the skin.
Vocabulary lists containing subcutaneous
Dracula
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Into Thin Air
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My Sister's Keeper
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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.
Zoo staff provided ventilation and water to cool her down, and later administered subcutaneous fluids, liver tonics and vitamins.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Both Dupixent and zumilokibart are subcutaneous injections, but zumilokibart is administered every three to six months as opposed to every two weeks for Dupixent.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
It achieved a pharmacological bioavailability of about 33-41% compared to subcutaneous injection.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 24, 2026
Much of Keytruda’s future is tied to a subcutaneous formation of the drug, which was approved in September.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 3, 2026
He was physically a typical Gethenian of the Great Continent, compactly made, short-legged and short-armed, with a solid layer of subcutaneous fat giving him even in illness a sleek roundness of body.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
