ampulla

[ am-puhl-uh, -poo l-uh ]
/ æmˈpʌl ə, -ˈpʊl ə /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR ampulla ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural am·pul·lae [am-puhl-ee, -poo l-ee] /æmˈpʌl i, -ˈpʊl i/.

Anatomy. a dilated portion of a canal or duct, especially of the semicircular canals of the ear.
Zoology, Botany. any flask-shaped structure.
Ecclesiastical.
  1. a vessel for the wine and water used at the altar.
  2. a vessel for holding consecrated oil.
a two-handled bottle having a somewhat globular shape, made of glass or earthenware, used by the ancient Romans for holding oil, wine, or perfumes.
Ichthyology. ampulla of Lorenzini.

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Origin of ampulla

< New Latin, Latin, equivalent to amphor(a) amphora + -la diminutive suffix, with normal vowel reduction and Greek ph rendered as p

Words nearby ampulla

amplitude modulation, amplitude of accommodation, amply, ampoule, ampule, ampulla, ampulla of lorenzini, ampulla of uterine tube, ampulla of vas deferens, ampullaceous, ampullar pregnancy
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to ampulla

beaker, jug, vial, urn, chalice, decanter, canteen, carafe, crock, glass, retort, jar, ewer, noggin, bag, bottle, fiasco, flagon, crystal, demijohn

Example sentences from the Web for ampulla

British Dictionary definitions for ampulla

ampulla
/ (æmˈpʊlə) /

noun plural -pullae (-ˈpʊliː)

anatomy the dilated end part of certain ducts or canals, such as the end of a uterine tube
Christianity
  1. a vessel for containing the wine and water used at the Eucharist
  2. a small flask for containing consecrated oil
a Roman two-handled bottle for oil, wine, or perfume

Derived forms of ampulla

ampullaceous (ˌæmpʊˈleɪʃəs) or ampullaceal, adjectiveampullar (æmˈpʊlə) or ampullary (æmˈpʊlərɪ), adjective

Word Origin for ampulla

C16: from Latin, diminutive of amphora
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for ampulla

ampulla
[ ăm-pul′ə, -pŭl′ə ]

n. pl. am•pul•lae (-pul′ē, -pŭl′ē)

A dilated portion of a canal or duct, as in the semicircular canal of the ear.

Other words from ampulla

am•pul′lar adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.