What does intradermal mean?
Intradermal means within the skin, especially in or just beneath the epidermis. The term is most often used in medicine to describe an injection, test, or substance delivered into the skin rather than into a muscle, vein, or the fatty tissue beneath the skin. Intradermal procedures include certain allergy tests, tuberculosis screening, and some specialized injections. Because the material is deposited close to the skin's surface, it may produce a visible bump, redness, or localized reaction. The word combines the prefix intra-, meaning “within,” with dermal, meaning “relating to the skin.” It is distinct from subcutaneous, which describes something placed beneath the skin, and from epidermal, which refers specifically to the skin's outermost layer. In general writing, intradermal indicates a specialized medical context rather than everyday speech.
adjectiveLocated within the skin, especially within or just beneath the epidermis. In medicine, the term describes substances, injections, or tests administered into the skin.
- Located within the skin or beneath the epidermis.
- Relating to a substance, injection, or test introduced into the skin.
"The clinician administered the vaccine by an intradermal injection."
"The technician performed an intradermal skin test to check for sensitivity."
"The dye is applied intradermally, producing a small raised welt."
An intradermal injection uses a shorter, finer needle and a shallower angle than many other injections, placing the substance close to the skin's surface.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intradermal come from?
The word was formed in the early 20th century from the Latin prefix intra-, meaning “within,” and dermal, a combining form relating to the skin. Its ultimate vocabulary roots are Latin intra, “within,” and Greek derma, “skin,” the latter also appearing in terms such as dermis, dermatology, and epidermis. The compound follows the established medical pattern of using prefixes such as intra-, sub-, and epi- to specify a substance's location relative to the skin.
Related word forms
How intradermal is actually used
This is primarily a technical medical term. It is commonly used with injections, tests, and procedures involving the skin, and is more precise than the general expression “into the skin.”
Easily confused with intradermal
Intradermal means within the skin, whereas subcutaneous means beneath the skin, in the layer of fatty tissue below it.
Intradermal refers to something within or beneath the epidermis, while epidermal refers specifically to the outermost layer of the skin.