ampoule

noun

am·​poule ˈam-ˌpyül 

-pül

variants or ampule or less commonly ampul

1

: a hermetically sealed small bulbous glass vessel that is used to hold a solution for hypodermic injection

2

: a vial resembling an ampoule

Examples of ampoule in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 24-day set of ampoules will rev up collagen production and skin turnover, helping to speed up the disappearance of these marks. —Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2025

Below, the cleansers, ampoules, and sunscreens worth adding to cart. —Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 14 Aug. 2025

Launched as an ampoule initially, the popular formula was later introduced as the Hyaluronic Serum in 2015. —Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

Layer this with the other five pieces of the collection (a water, emulsion, ampoule, serum, and eye cream) for best results. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, earlier, "vial, flask," going back to Old French ampule, ampoule, borrowed from Latin ampulla ampulla

Note: The word ampoule in reference to a vessel holding liquid for a hypodermic injection was introduced by its inventor, the French pharmacist Stanislas Limousin (1831-87), in "Ampoules hypodermiques. Nouveau mode de préparation des solutions pour les injections hypodermiques," Bulletin générale de thérapeutique médicale et chirurgicale, vol. 110 (1886), p. 316. — The spellings ampule, ampul hark back to an earlier English word meaning "vial, flask," apparently rare by the 19th century, that continues Middle English ampulle, ampoile, borrowed from the Anglo-French and Old French word. Old English ampelle, ampulle "flask," a feminine weak noun, is borrowed directly from Latin.

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ampoule

• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• misrule
• preschool
• pustule
• whirlpool
• boule