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

“Oh my God!” she gasped as I handed her a vial of holy dirt with an image of the Santo Niño de Atocha.

From Los Angeles Times

She also said she had raised her concern during at least one meeting, before becoming reassured that the police were hunting for a discarded vial, including by the river in Salisbury, and by the Environment Agency, who would "monitor the unusual numbers of dead fish appearing in the river".

From BBC

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

Related Words

• bottle
• flask