vial

noun

vi·​al ˈvī(-ə)l 

: a small closed or closable vessel especially for liquids

Examples of vial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Without insurance or special program support, a single vial of insulin can cost more than $300 and a monthly supply can exceed $1,000. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025

To find her way back home and save her parents — now frozen in the real world — Ariadlyn must seek out a sorceress and her crystal vial. —Carole Horst, Variety, 11 Nov. 2025

This form of Zepbound comes in a vial, which means patients must use a disposable syringe to inject it, rather than a self-injectable pen. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Lepidopterist Joana Meier of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, a leader of Project Psyche, packs the abdomen of a moth into a vial for shipment from Italy to the institute in England. —Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Nov. 2025

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

Rhymes for vial

• dial
• rial
• thiol
• trial
• denial
• mistrial
• posttrial
• pretrial
• retrial
• sensorial
• supervisorial

Kids Definition

vial

noun

vi·​al ˈvī(-ə)l 

: a small container (as for medicines) made usually of glass or plastic

Medical Definition

vial

noun

vi·​al ˈvī(-ə)l 

: a small closed or closable vessel especially for liquids

called also phial