Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, typically cylindrical glass or plastic container, especially one used to hold liquid medicines, serums, or vaccines. It is often sealed, particularly when designed to be sterile for injections.

Usage

• The word "phial" is used to refer specifically to a small bottle, often with a narrow neck, designed for storing liquids, particularly in medical, scientific, or sometimes perfumery contexts. It implies a container that is closed or sealed.

Examples

• The nurse carefully filled the phial with the vaccine.
• Ancient perfumes were often stored in beautifully crafted glass phials.
• He handed the doctor a sealed phial containing the serum.

Advanced Usage

• "Sealed phial": Emphasizes that the container is closed to maintain sterility or prevent contamination.
  • The laboratory sent the samples in sealed phials.
• "Glass phial": Specifies the material, which is common for such containers.
  • The fragile glass phial broke when it was dropped.

Variants and Related Words

• Vial (noun): This is a more common modern synonym for "phial," especially in American English. Both words are often used interchangeably, though "phial" can sound slightly more formal or archaic.
  • The medicine is supplied in a single-use vial.

Synonyms

• Vial: A small container for liquids.
• Ampoule (or ampule): A small sealed glass capsule containing a liquid, especially for injection. An ampoule is a specific type of phial/vial designed to be broken open.
• Flask: A broader term for a container, often for liquids, but typically larger or of a different shape (e.g., a laboratory flask).

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning is a small bottle for liquids. While the reference definition highlights a medical context (especially for injections), the word can be used in other contexts, such as for perfumes or potions. The defining characteristic is its small size and function as a liquid container.

Noun

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