capsule
UK /ˈkæpsjuːl/ · US /ˈkæps(ə)l/ noun, verb
Forms capsules capsuling capsuled
- noun (physiology) A membranous envelope.
- noun (botany) A type of simple, dehiscent, dry fruit (seed-case) produced by many species of flowering plants, such as poppy, lily, orchid, willow and cotton.
- noun (botany) A sporangium, especially in bryophytes.
- noun (anatomy) A tough, fibrous layer surrounding an organ such as the kidney or liver
- noun (anatomy) A membrane that surrounds the eyeball
- noun (astronautics) A detachable part of a rocket or spacecraft (usually in the nose) containing the crew's living space.
- noun (pharmacy) A small container containing a dose of medicine.
- noun (attributively, figuratively) in a brief, condensed or compact form
- verb (transitive) To form (medicine, etc.) into capsules.
- verb (transitive) To encapsulate or summarize.
Synonyms
pod condensation abridgement abridgment space capsule ejection seat ejector seat capsulate capsulize capsulise encapsulate
Etymology
Borrowed from French capsule, from Latin capsula, diminutive of capsa (“box”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun a dry fruit or pod which is made up of several parts or carpels, and opens to discharge the seeds, as, the capsule of the poppy, the flax, the lily, etc.
- noun (a) A small saucer of clay for roasting or melting samples of ores, etc.; a scorifier.
Etymology [L. capsula a little box or chest, fr. capsa chest, case, fr. capere to take, contain: cf. F. capsule.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “capsule”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details