ampulla
Americannoun
plural
ampullae-
Anatomy. a dilated portion of a canal or duct, especially of the semicircular canals of the ear.
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Zoology, Botany. any flask-shaped structure.
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Ecclesiastical.
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a vessel for the wine and water used at the altar.
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a vessel for holding consecrated oil.
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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.
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Ichthyology. ampulla of Lorenzini.
noun
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anatomy the dilated end part of certain ducts or canals, such as the end of a uterine tube
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Christianity
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a vessel for containing the wine and water used at the Eucharist
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a small flask for containing consecrated oil
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a Roman two-handled bottle for oil, wine, or perfume
Other Word Forms
- ampullaceous adjective
- ampullar adjective
Etymology
Origin of ampulla
< New Latin, Latin, equivalent to amphor ( a ) amphora + -la diminutive suffix, with normal vowel reduction and Greek ph rendered as p
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will pour holy oil from an eagle-shaped ampulla, or flask, then rub it on the king’s hands, chest and head.
From Seattle Times • May 6, 2023
For the ceremony, the oil is kept in a solid gold flask called an ampulla, shaped like an eagle.
From BBC • Jan. 13, 2018
What they saw surprised them: human-looking bones and what appeared to be a broken lead ampulla – a vessel to hold holy water.
From The Guardian • Aug. 5, 2015
The box also contained a tiny lead vial, or ampulla, that had been twisted open and was in two pieces.
From Washington Post • Jul. 27, 2015
The ampulla is covered with a bladder or with waxed linen, lest the contents exhale.
From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
