vial

noun

vi·​al ˈvī(-ə)l How to pronounce vial (audio)
: a small closed or closable vessel especially for liquids

Examples of vial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The hours and vials, so many things sealed, opened and tested. Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 The ‘Wild West’ of ketamine prescribing While the science behind ketamine is murky, the business model is clear: Physicians can purchase ketamine for less than $100 a vial and charge $500 to $1,500 per infusion. Matthew Perrone, Fortune Well, 7 Nov. 2023 Zhu’s lab in Reedley first raised eyebrows in 2022, when a local code enforcement officer discovered it was stocked with vials of blood, jars of urine and about 1,000 white mice living in sullied containers. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023 But children require smaller vials of the vaccine than adults. Marley Jay, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2023 Hundreds of unmarked hypodermic needles spilled out of the surf that afternoon, accompanied by vials and prescription bottles, along a 50-mile stretch of New Jersey beaches during peak tourist season. Jeremy Greene, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2023 The resulting genetic material is kept in two vials in her studio, as well as in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany. Evan Moffitt Daniel Terna, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023 Disinfect the stoppers of both vials with alcohol prep pads. The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Aug. 2023 The star’s sperm cells were quickly scooped up via glass pipettes, deposited into individual vials and transferred to the aquarium’s lab where they were cryogenically frozen. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fiole, viole, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin fiola, alteration of Latin phiala — more at phial

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vial was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vial

Cite this Entry

“Vial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vial. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

vial

noun
vi·​al ˈvī(-ə)l How to pronounce vial (audio)
: a small container (as for medicines) made usually of glass or plastic

Medical Definition

vial

noun
vi·​al ˈvī(-ə)l How to pronounce vial (audio)
: a small closed or closable vessel especially for liquids

called also phial

More from Merriam-Webster on vial

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