capsule

American  

[kap-suhl, -sool, -syool] / ˈkæp səl, -sul, -sjul /

noun

• capsules
  plural

1. Pharmacology. a gelatinous case enclosing a dose of medicine.

2. Biology.

   1. a membranous sac or integument.

   2. either of two strata of white matter in the cerebrum.

   3. the sporangium of various spore-producing organisms, such as ferns, mosses, algae, and fungi.

3. Botany. a dry dehiscent fruit, composed of two or more carpels.

4. a small case, envelope, or covering.

5. Also called space capsule. Aerospace. a sealed cabin, container, or vehicle in which a person or animal can ride in flight in space or at very high altitudes within the earth's atmosphere.

6. Aviation. a similar cabin in a military aircraft, which can be ejected from the aircraft in an emergency.

7. a thin metal covering for the mouth of a corked bottle.

8. a concise report; brief outline.

   An appendix to the book contains biographical capsules of the contributors.

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verb (used with object)

capsuled, capsuling

1. to furnish with or enclose in or as if in a capsule; encapsulate.

2. to capsulize.

adjective

1. small and compact.

2. short and concise; brief and summarized.

   a capsule report.

3. containing only the most essential and versatile items of a particular kind.

   capsule wardrobe;

   capsule pantry.

capsule British  

/ ˈkæpsjuːl /

noun

1. a soluble case of gelatine enclosing a dose of medicine

2. a thin metal cap, seal, or cover, such as the foil covering the cork of a wine bottle

3. botany

   1. a dry fruit that liberates its seeds by splitting, as in the violet, or through pores, as in the poppy

   2. the spore-producing organ of mosses and liverworts

4. bacteriol a gelatinous layer of polysaccharide or protein surrounding the cell wall of some bacteria: thought to be responsible for the virulence in pathogens

5. anatomy

   1. a cartilaginous, fibrous, or membranous envelope surrounding any of certain organs or parts

   2. a broad band of white fibres ( internal capsule ) near the thalamus in each cerebral hemisphere

6. See space capsule

7. an aeroplane cockpit that can be ejected in a flight emergency, complete with crew, instruments, etc

8. (modifier) in a highly concise form

   a capsule summary

9. (modifier) (in the fashion industry) consisting of a few important representative items

   a capsule collection

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capsule Scientific  

/ kăp′səl,-so̅o̅l /

1. A dry dehiscent fruit that develops from two or more carpels, as in the poppy and the cottonwood tree.

2. The sporangium (the hollow spore-producing structure) of mosses and other bryophytes.

3. The outer layer of viscous polysaccharide or polypeptide slime with which some bacteria cover their cell walls. Capsules provide defense against phagocytes and prevent the bacteria from drying out.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• uncapsuled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• capsules
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of capsule

First recorded in 1645–55; 1950–55 capsule for def. 5; from French or directly from Latin capsula, equivalent to caps(a) “box” + -ula diminutive suffix; see origin at case ², -ule

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Explanation

A capsule is a very small container that closes tightly. Many medicines come in capsules that can be easily swallowed. Certain brands of laundry or dishwasher soap can be bought in capsule form, and you might hide a secret note or special mementos in a time capsule. A biologist probably thinks of a capsule as an anatomical structure that encloses an organ. This, in fact, is the word's earliest meaning — in French, it's a "membranous sac," from the Latin capsula, "small box or chest."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

capsule capsules capsuled capsuling

The Artemis II astronauts who flew around the moon earlier this year are back in Florida, reunited with their capsule and launch team.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

After a more than 27-hour return journey, the Dragon capsule carrying Crew-12 landed safely in the Pacific Ocean, according to space agency NASA's live broadcast.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

The collected samples are expected to return to Earth by mid 2031 inside a capsule designed to survive re-entry through Earth's atmosphere.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

Matson's work in conservation sees cells from 200 endangered species, ranging from African elephants to Scotland's wildcats, being frozen in liquid nitrogen at –196°C to create a cryogenic "time capsule".

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

They are comets and meteors burning past her little capsule; they scorch up her very skin as she tries to sleep.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Until now, all Starship flights have been suborbital, meaning the capsules were high enough to reach space, but did not travel fast enough or long enough to complete a loop around the Earth.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Complete coverage of The Times’ All-Star baseball and softball teams, from the players and coaches of the year to capsules on each player and the final 2026 rankings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

Considering the "hazard potential of the waste, the first 10,000 years are very important for keeping the capsules intact," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026

Instead of viewing them solely as stone replicas of ancient bones, researchers are beginning to see some fossils as possible molecular time capsules that still preserve traces of prehistoric biology millions of years later.

From Science Daily ● May 14, 2026

The 1970 draft lottery, wherein numbers from 1 to 366 were placed in little capsules to determine who was to be drafted, was almost certainly unfair.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

In one winter season with Uncle Don, I. V. C. Vitamin Pearls, a capsuled vitamin, increased its sales 125% with little other advertising.

From Time Magazine Archive

The professional verdict on Belli's conduct of the defense was neatly capsuled in a Texas lawyer's quip: "They found Melvin Belli guilty and gave Jack Ruby the chair."

From Time Magazine Archive

Indeed, the history of the U.S. can plausibly be capsuled in a litany of slogans: No taxation without representation.

From Time Magazine Archive

The reasons why are neatly capsuled in Shirley's cinefantasy with Mitchum, described as "one of those Hollywood movies all about love and what'11-she-wear-next?"

From Time Magazine Archive

In a prompt countermove, Ford this week distributed to 150,000 employes copies of the Founder's familiar anti-union views, capsuled under the heading "Fordisms."

From Time Magazine Archive

Freedom," he said, capsuling his own political philosophy, "has been defined as the opportunity for selfdiscipline.

From Time Magazine Archive

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Related Words

• dose
• pellet
• pill

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