By some other means than through the gastrointestinal tract; referring particularly to the introduction of substances into an organism by intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intramedullary injection. [para- + G. enteron, intestine]
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par·en·ter·al pə-'rent-ə-rəl adj situated or occurring outside the intestine <\parenteral drug administration by intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous injection> esp introduced otherwise than by way of the intestines <enteric versus \parenteral feeding>
par·en·ter·al·ly -rə-lē adv
parenteral n an agent (as a drug or solution) intended for parenteral administration
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adj.
administered by any way other than through the mouth: applied, for example, to the introduction of drugs or other agents into the body by injection.
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pa·ren·ter·al (pə-renґtər-əl) [para- + enteral] not through the alimentary canal, but rather by injection through some other route, such as subcutaneous, intramuscular, intraorbital, intracapsular, intraspinal, intrasternal, or intravenous.Medical dictionary. 2011.