subcutaneous

adjective

sub·​cu·​ta·​ne·​ous ˌsəb-kyu̇-ˈtā-nē-əs 

: being, living, occurring, or administered under the skin

subcutaneous parasites

subcutaneous tissues

subcutaneously adverb

Examples of subcutaneous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One potential reason for the gender discrepancy, according to the researchers, is that men are more likely to store fat viscerally (in the belly), while women generally accumulate more subcutaneous fat (under the skin) and peripheral fat (in the arms and legs). —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025

Both visceral and subcutaneous fats also contain the enzyme aromatase, which converts androgens like testosterone into estrogen. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 26 Mar. 2025

The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or one or two subcutaneous injections of lepodisiran. —Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025

Blubbery bodies Many millions of years before whales and seals would evolve blubber, marine reptiles were already enjoying the benefits of the thick subcutaneous fat. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin subcutaneus, from Latin sub- + cutis skin — more at hide entry 2

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subcutaneous

• miscellaneous
• percutaneous
• simultaneous
• subterraneous
• transcutaneous
• contemporaneous
• extemporaneous
• intracutaneous
• mucocutaneous
• extraneous
• spontaneous
• lanius

Kids Definition

subcutaneous

adjective

sub·​cu·​ta·​ne·​ous ˌsəb-kyu̇-ˈtā-nē-əs 

: being, living, occurring, or given under the skin

subcutaneous parasites

Medical Definition

subcutaneous

adjective

sub·​cu·​ta·​ne·​ous ˌsəb-kyu̇-ˈtā-nē-əs 

: being, living, used, or made under the skin

subcutaneous parasites

subcutaneously adverb