capsule

1 of 3

noun

cap·​sule ˈkap-səl 

-(ˌ)sül,

 also  -ˌsyül

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

5

: an extremely brief condensation : outline, survey

capsules of history given to students

6

a

: a compact often sealed and detachable container or compartment

b

: a small pressurized compartment or vehicle (as for space flight)

capsule

2 of 3

verb

capsuled; capsuling

transitive verb

1

: to equip with or enclose in a capsule

2

: to condense into or devise in a compact form

capsuled the news

capsule

3 of 3

adjective

1

: extremely brief

a capsule biography

2

: small and very compact

a capsule submarine

Synonyms

Noun

• cap
• lozenge
• pill
• tablet

Verb

• capsulize
• collapse
• compact
• compress
• condense
• constrict
• constringe
• contract
• narrow (down)
• squeeze
• telescope

Adjective

• aphoristic
• apothegmatic
• brief
• compact
• compendious
• concise
• crisp
• curt
• elliptical
• elliptic
• epigrammatic
• laconic
• monosyllabic
• pithy
• sententious
• succinct
• summary
• telegraphic
• terse
• thumbnail

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

Noun

Isaacman is a billionaire pilot and astronaut who founded the Shift4 Payments company as a teenager and commanded the first civilian space crew in 2021 aboard a SpaceX capsule. —Karen Freifeld, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

Such a mission would use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon crew capsule. —Mike Wall, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Adjective

Seasonal Exclusives: Properties like Hotel du Cap host pop-ups with luxury fashion houses, offering capsule collections only available onsite. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025

This summer, Sarria will unveil a site-specific installation and a capsule collection in Montauk, where she is partly based. —José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Latin capsula, diminutive of capsa box — more at case

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing capsule

• Bowman's capsule
• time capsule

Kids 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)