vial

[ vahy-uhl, vahyl ]

noun

1. Also a small container, as of glass, for holding liquids:

   a vial of rare perfume; a vial of medicine.

verb (used with object)

, vi·aled, vi·al·ing or (especially British) vi·alled, vi·al·ling.

1. to put into or keep in a vial.

vial

/ ˈvaɪəl; vaɪl /

noun

1. a less common variant of phial

Word History and Origins

Origin of vial¹

1300–50; Middle English viole, variant of fiole phial

Word History and Origins

Origin of vial¹

C14: fiole, from Old French, from Old Provençal fiola, from Latin phiala, from Greek phialē; see phial

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pour out vials of wrath, to wreak vengeance or express anger:

   In her preface she pours out vials of wrath on her detractors.

Example Sentences

Pharmacies in the nation of Georgia have something ours don’t: vials of viruses in neat rows.

From Salon

During a search of his home, investigators found a clear vial that tested positive for a drug that could be used to anesthetize a person, Deputy Dist.

From Los Angeles Times

She put her order in, paid $130, and two days later, in August, a package with a vial of white powder, sterile water, and needles arrived in the mail.

From Los Angeles Times

"We're taking this out and drawing insulin out of a glass vial or bottle - it was pretty brutal. I thought that this was medieval, there must be a better way."

From BBC

The inquiry has heard already that the vial of Novichok opened by Dawn Sturgess contained enough nerve agent to kill thousands.

From BBC

Related Words

• bottle
• flask