vial
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
idioms
noun
Etymology
Origin of vial
1300–50; Middle English viole, variant of fiole phial
Explanation
The word vial sounds like another word, "vile" (making them homonyms), but they mean completely different things. A vial is just a small glass bottle that contains a chemical or drug. "Vile" is evil. One of the coolest things about the English language is how specific you can get. For example, got a small glass bottle made for carrying chemicals or drugs? There's a word for that! That word is vial. There are bottles for soda and bottles for beer, but if what you're carrying is drugs, chemicals, or similar substances, you're carrying them in a vial.
Vocabulary lists containing vial
"Of Mice and Men"
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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Bless Me, Ultima
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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 seven woman and five men found both Vial and Burns guilty of murder.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2025
Alan Vial, who has an address at Drumanoo Head near Killybegs in County Donegal, appeared at Ballyshannon District Court on Friday afternoon.
From BBC • Jul. 14, 2023
Friendship Heights’ convenient location was a top reason for Vial moving to and staying in the neighborhood.
From Washington Post • Mar. 9, 2022
The only candidate who has experience in the Secretary of State’s Office, Rich Vial, hopes to change that narrative, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
From Washington Times • Apr. 9, 2020
The book of Father Vial contains a very valuable chapter on the writing of the Lolos.
From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 2 by Yule, Henry
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.
