Definition

Noun: A small, sealed glass or plastic container, typically sterile, designed to hold a single dose of a liquid medication, especially one for injection using a needle. The container is hermetically sealed to preserve sterility and is opened by breaking off its narrow neck.

Usage

The word "ampoule" refers specifically to the sealed container itself. It is used in medical, pharmaceutical, and laboratory contexts. The typical action involves breaking the ampoule to access its contents.

Examples

• The nurse carefully snapped the neck of the ampoule to draw the vaccine into the syringe.
• Each ampoule contains exactly one milliliter of the sterile solution.
• The medication is supplied in single-dose ampoules to prevent contamination.

Advanced Usage

• "Ampoule of [substance]": This is the standard construction to specify the contents.
  • The emergency kit includes an ampoule of epinephrine.
• The term can be used metaphorically in literary contexts to describe something fragile, sealed, and precious, though this is rare.
  • Her memory was kept like an unbroken ampoule of joy.

Variants and Related Words

• Ampule (noun): An alternative spelling of "ampoule," common in American English.
• Vial (noun): A broader term for a small glass or plastic bottle, often with a rubber stopper, used for storing liquids. Unlike an ampoule, a vial can be resealed and often contains multiple doses.
• Phial (noun): An archaic or literary term synonymous with "vial."

Synonyms

• Phial (in the general sense of a small bottle for medicine)
• Vial (note: not a perfect synonym as vials are often not single-use/sealed by fusion)

Antonyms

• Bulk container: A large, multi-dose container.
• Syringe: This is the device used to inject the contents of an ampoule, not a container for storage.

Notes

• The primary distinction of an ampoule is that it is a single-use, hermetically sealed container that must be broken open. This differentiates it from a vial, which typically has a removable cap or rubber stopper allowing for repeated access.
• The spelling ampule is prevalent in the United States, while ampoule is more common in British English.

Noun

1. a small bottle that contains a drug (especially a sealed sterile container for injection by needle)