Vial
A small glass or plastic bottle used to hold a liquid, especially medicines, often sealed with a stopper or cap.
nounVial
A small glass or plastic bottle used to hold a liquid, especially medicines, often sealed with a stopper or cap.
nounImagine This
Picture a precise pharmacist in a clean lab. She gently withdraws a drop from a tiny vial, its clear liquid catching the light as it awaits injection into a patient.
Sounds Like
VY-uhl
Looks Like
A small cylindrical container with a narrow neck, typically transparent glass or plastic.
Remember This
Vials are common in medical and laboratory settings; the alternate spelling phial is still used in some contexts. Vials are designed to keep liquids sterile and free from contamination.
Other Forms
Connect With
bottle, phial, ampoule, container, vessel, flask
Note
Use 'vial' for small sealed containers; 'bottle' is more general. The plural is 'vials'. 'Phial' is an older or British variant.