1
a
: a membrane or sac enclosing a body part (such as a knee joint or kidney)
b
: either of two layers of white matter in the cerebrum
2
: a closed receptacle containing spores or seeds: such as
a
: a dry dehiscent usually many-seeded fruit composed of two or more carpels
b
: the spore case of a moss
3
: a shell usually of gelatin for packaging something (such as a drug or vitamins)
also
: a usually medicinal or nutritional preparation for oral use consisting of the shell and its contents
4
: an often polysaccharide envelope surrounding a microorganism
6
a
: a compact often sealed and detachable container or compartment
b
: a small pressurized compartment or vehicle (as for space flight)
capsuled; capsuling
1
: to equip with or enclose in a capsule
2
: to condense into or devise in a compact form
capsuled the news
1
: extremely brief
a capsule biography
2
: small and very compact
a capsule submarine
Synonyms
Examples of capsule in a Sentence
Noun
took an antibiotic capsule three times a day for a week
a capsule containing all sorts of items from our era that is to be opened 100 years from now
Verb
newscasts that capsule complex, important stories into one-minute bits for easy digestion by viewers
Adjective
capsule reviews of the latest offerings at the multiplex
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Anzlovar, Ms, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024
Shop the Supreme and Nike capsule collection on April 18 on supreme.com and nike.com.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024
While the brown floral pattern is sporting the most significant discount right now, the dress is also available in three other shades that will all be welcome additions to your spring capsule wardrobe.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2024
Each package comes with a month's supply of the formula, which amounts to sixty capsules.
—Andrew Price, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Nearing the five-month anniversary of the first surgery of his career (to repair the capsule of his left shoulder), Kershaw is on the sidelines, working through the early stages of a throwing program while the Dodgers play on without him.
—Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register, 30 Mar. 2024
His father places him in a space capsule and sends him away just before his home planet explodes.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Made in 1962, the same year Andy Warhol had his solo gallery debut in L.A. with paintings of cans of Campbell’s soup, Ruscha’s supermarket can followed John Glenn’s inaugural Earth orbit in a compact space capsule.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
In it, a newborn baby boy is nestled into a space capsule by his father who then sets the vessel's destination to Earth.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2024
Hood By Air’s former creative director and founder Shayne Oliver has been selected by Jean Paul Gaultier to create a capsule collection.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 17 Apr. 2024
Chanel Boyfriend Couture Chanel’s Couture O’Clock capsule collection is an ode to the house’s Parisian couture atelier, and is full of witty references to its founder Coco Chanel and her dressmaking tools.
—Sarah Royce-Greensill, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
In a collab no one saw coming, Nails.INC and McDonald’s teamed up on a capsule collection of charming nail polish sets.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
The capsule collection includes four dresses and three trousers knit brown, black and white mesh polka dot, burgundy mesh, and gray plaid with the Ganni butterfly motif charm.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
Building the perfect travel capsule wardrobe takes a lot of thoughtful consideration.
—Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2024
Ahead of Coachella, the THR Power Stylist has teamed with 8 Other Reasons for a capsule collection of under-$100 jewelry — and don’t be surprised if his first-time festival performer Sabrina Carpenter (and Bolden client) shows up onstage in his pieces.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Made from leaves of the kratom tree, which is native to southeast Asia, kratom is available in capsule form or powder that can be mixed with tea or taken on its own.
—Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
It’s recommended to take 1,000 to 2,000 micrograms to replete a deficiency, so some people may have to take multiple capsules to get enough.
—Sarah Anzlovar, Ms, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024
Shop the Supreme and Nike capsule collection on April 18 on supreme.com and nike.com.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024
While the brown floral pattern is sporting the most significant discount right now, the dress is also available in three other shades that will all be welcome additions to your spring capsule wardrobe.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2024
Each package comes with a month's supply of the formula, which amounts to sixty capsules.
—Andrew Price, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Nearing the five-month anniversary of the first surgery of his career (to repair the capsule of his left shoulder), Kershaw is on the sidelines, working through the early stages of a throwing program while the Dodgers play on without him.
—Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register, 30 Mar. 2024
His father places him in a space capsule and sends him away just before his home planet explodes.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Made in 1962, the same year Andy Warhol had his solo gallery debut in L.A. with paintings of cans of Campbell’s soup, Ruscha’s supermarket can followed John Glenn’s inaugural Earth orbit in a compact space capsule.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
In it, a newborn baby boy is nestled into a space capsule by his father who then sets the vessel's destination to Earth.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Adjective
While many designers have launched bridal capsule collections of late, the Jacquemus wedding collection caters not only to brides, but grooms, the mother of the bride, the father of the bride, and of course, the guests.
—Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2024
Hood By Air’s former creative director and founder Shayne Oliver has been selected by Jean Paul Gaultier to create a capsule collection.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 17 Apr. 2024
Chanel Boyfriend Couture Chanel’s Couture O’Clock capsule collection is an ode to the house’s Parisian couture atelier, and is full of witty references to its founder Coco Chanel and her dressmaking tools.
—Sarah Royce-Greensill, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
In a collab no one saw coming, Nails.INC and McDonald’s teamed up on a capsule collection of charming nail polish sets.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
The capsule collection includes four dresses and three trousers knit brown, black and white mesh polka dot, burgundy mesh, and gray plaid with the Ganni butterfly motif charm.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
Building the perfect travel capsule wardrobe takes a lot of thoughtful consideration.
—Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2024
Ahead of Coachella, the THR Power Stylist has teamed with 8 Other Reasons for a capsule collection of under-$100 jewelry — and don’t be surprised if his first-time festival performer Sabrina Carpenter (and Bolden client) shows up onstage in his pieces.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Made from leaves of the kratom tree, which is native to southeast Asia, kratom is available in capsule form or powder that can be mixed with tea or taken on its own.
—Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'capsule.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near capsule
Cite this Entry
“Capsule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capsule. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
capsule
1 of 2 noun
cap·sule
ˈkap-səl 
-(ˌ)sül
1
: a surrounding cover of a bodily part (as a knee joint)
2
: a case bearing spores or seeds
3
: a shell usually of gelatin that is used for packaging something (as a drug)
also
: such a shell together with its contents
4
: an envelope of carbohydrate around a microbe and especially a bacterium
5
: a small compartment with nearly normal atmospheric pressure for a pilot or astronaut
especially
: spacecraft
capsule
2 of 2 adjective
: very brief
capsule movie reviews
Medical Definition
capsule
noun
cap·sule
ˈkap-səl, -(ˌ)sül
1
a
: a membrane or saclike structure enclosing a part or organ
the capsule of the kidney
b
: either of two layers or laminae of white matter in the cerebrum:
(1)
: a layer that consists largely of fibers passing to and from the cerebral cortex and that lies internal to the lentiform nucleus
called also internal capsule
(2)
: one that lies between the lentiform nucleus and the claustrum
called also external capsule
2
: a shell usually of gelatin for packaging something (as a drug or vitamins)
also
: a usually medicinal or nutritional preparation for oral use consisting of the shell and its contents
3
: a viscous or gelatinous often polysaccharide envelope surrounding certain microscopic organisms (as the pneumococcus)
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