epidural

1 of 2

adjective

epi·​du·​ral ˌe-pi-ˈd(y)u̇r-əl 

: situated upon or administered or placed outside the dura mater

epidural anesthesia

an epidural abscess

epidural

2 of 2

noun

: an injection of a local anesthetic into the space outside the dura mater of the spinal cord in the lower back region to produce loss of sensation especially in the abdomen or pelvic region

Examples of epidural in a Sentence

Noun

Many women undergoing childbirth are given epidurals.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Those include epidural steroid injections for pain management, cervical fusion, diagnosis and treatment of impotence, and skin and tissue substitutes. —Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 16 Jan. 2026

If symptoms persist, epidural steroid injections may be used, though their effectiveness diminishes over time. —Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025

Noun

Michelle Hansford, a peer support advocate at an addiction treatment program for pregnant women in Texas, said one of her patients was reported to child welfare authorities due to a positive test caused by the fentanyl in her epidural. —Shoshana Walter, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026

Because her epidural wasn’t strong enough, Gould had to be put under anesthesia, and her son, Archer, was born healthy. —Maressa Brown, Parents, 18 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1882, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1970, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for epidural

• postdoctoral
• predoctoral
• deferral
• referral
• neral
• squirrel
• sural

Medical Definition

epidural

1 of 2 adjective

epi·​du·​ral ˌep-i-ˈd(y)u̇r-əl 

: situated upon or administered or placed outside the dura mater

epidural injections

an epidural abscess

epidurally

-ə-lē 

adverb

epidural

2 of 2 noun

: an injection of an anesthetic to produce epidural anesthesia