Standard Lemma guide

epidural

adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɛp.ɪˈdjʊə.ɹəl/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɛp.ɪˈdjɔː.ɹəl/
  • General-American: /ɛp.əˈd(j)ʊɹ.əl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʊəɹəl
  • CMU ARPABET: EH2 P AH0 D ER1 AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Situated on or outside the dura mater.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: relational

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: extradural, peridural

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of or pertaining to the space immediately outside the dura mater.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: relational

Topics: medicine, sciences

Examples

  • Epidural anesthesia is commonly used for pain relief during childbirth.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An injection of anaesthetic into the epidural space of the spine, especially associated with pain relief during childbirth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

on or outside the dura mater

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: extradural

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

regional anesthesia resulting from injection of an anesthetic into the epidural space of the spinal cord; sensation is lost in the abdominal and genital and pelvic areas; used in childbirth and gynecological surgery

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: epidural anesthesia, epidural anaesthesia

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: regional anesthesia, regional anaesthesia

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h1épsder. Proto-Indo-European *h1epi Proto-Hellenic *epí Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí) Ancient Greek ἐπῐ- (epĭ-)der. English epi- English dura English -al English dural English epidural From epi- + dural.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: epidural — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Chinese Mandarin: 硬腦膜上 /硬脑膜上 (yìngnǎomóshàng) — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Chinese Mandarin: 硬腦膜外 /硬脑膜外 (yìngnǎomówài) — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Czech: epidurální — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Dutch: epiduraal — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Finnish: epiduraalinen — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • French: épidural — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • French: péridural — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Greek: επισκληρίδιος (episklirídios) — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Indonesian: epidural — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Italian: epidurale — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Polish: zewnątrzoponowy — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Russian: эпидура́льный (epidurálʹnyj) — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Spanish: epidural — situated on or outside the dura mater
  • Catalan: epidural — anaesthetic
  • Finnish: epiduraalipuudutus — anaesthetic
  • French: péridurale — anaesthetic
  • French: épidurale — anaesthetic
  • Indonesian: epidural — anaesthetic
  • Spanish: epidural — anaesthetic
  • Swedish: epiduralbedövning — anaesthetic
  • Swedish: epidural — anaesthetic