lidocaine

noun

li·​do·​caine ˈlī-də-ˌkān 

: a crystalline compound C₁₄H₂₂N₂O that is used in the form of its hydrochloride as a local anesthetic and as an antiarrhythmic agent

Examples of lidocaine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Doctors should tell their patients that the local anesthetic lidocaine could be useful for reducing the pain of the procedure, the CDC now says. —Alexander Tin, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2024

In a 2019 survey of about 1,000 family planning providers, less than 5% reported using a lidocaine injection during IUD insertion. —Maya Davis, CNN, 10 Aug. 2024

One significant change includes the recommendation to use topical lidocaine, a less invasive anesthetic than the injectable form of lidocaine currently used, which can be applied to the cervix to alleviate pain during the procedure. —Korin Miller, Flow Space, 9 Aug. 2024

Related Video The biggest change in pain management, however, is the recommendation that doctors use lidocaine to numb the cervix, be it administered with a topical gel or via an injection called a paracervical block. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

acetanilid + -o- + -caine

First Known Use

circa 1949, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

lidocaine

noun

li·​do·​caine ˈlīd-ə-ˌkān 

: a crystalline compound C₁₄H₂₂N₂O used as a local anesthetic often in the form of its hydrochloride C₁₄H₂₂N₂O·HCl

called also lignocaine

see xylocaine