Definition

A man-made chemical used mainly as a local pain reliever and to treat certain heart problems.

Example

The doctor used lidocaine to numb the area before the procedure.

Conversation

I heard that they used lidocaine during my friend's dental surgery.

Really? I didn't know it was that common for procedures like that.

Yeah, it helps numb the area so patients don't feel pain.

That makes sense! I've always been curious about how those anesthetics work.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Lidocaine is derived from 'lido-' (from the Spanish word 'lidocaína', which is a combination of 'lido', meaning 'to numb' or 'to soothe', and 'caína', from 'cane', meaning 'alkaloid'). The suffix '-caine' is used in the names of local anesthetics. Thus, lidocaine refers to a substance that numbs or soothes pain.

Memory Tip

Think of 'lido' as relating to soothing or numbing, and remember that 'lidocaine' is a substance used to numb pain.

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