Subcutaneous means situated or applied beneath the skin — from the Latin sub, under, and cutis, skin — often abbreviated to s.c. in medical writing. The subcutaneous layer, the fatty tissue just below the dermis, is used as a route for injections: insulin, some vaccines, and blood thinners are delivered into this tissue, where they are absorbed steadily into the bloodstream. The term also describes anything lying under the skin, such as subcutaneous fat — the body’s main energy store and insulation — or a subcutaneous abscess. In food and agriculture contexts it appears in meat science, where subcutaneous fat cover is graded as a quality trait in carcasses.