capsule — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A membranous envelope.

2. A type of simple, dehiscent, dry fruit (seed-case) produced by many species of flowering plants, such as poppy, lily, orchid, willow and cotton.

3. A sporangium, especially in bryophytes.

   Examples

   The epidermal cells of the capsule wall of Jubulopsis, with nodose "trigones" at the angles, are very reminiscent of what one finds in Frullania spp.

4. A tough, fibrous layer surrounding an organ such as the kidney or liver

5. A membrane that surrounds the eyeball

6. A detachable part of a rocket or spacecraft (usually in the nose) containing the crew's living space.

7. A small container containing a dose of medicine.

8. in a brief, condensed or compact form

   Usage

   • attributive
   • Figurative

   Examples

   If this capsule history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred.

9. The covering — formerly lead or tin, now often plastic — over the cork at the top of the wine bottle.

10. A small clay saucer for roasting or melting samples of ores, etc.; a scorifier.

    Usage

    • Dated

11. A small, shallow evaporating dish, usually of porcelain.

12. A small cup or shell, often of metal, for a percussion cap, cartridge, etc.

13. One of the very small rooms for guests in a capsule hotel.

    Synonyms

    pod

Verb

1. To form (medicine, etc.) into capsules.

   Usage

   • Transitive

2. To encapsulate or summarize.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Noun

1. a small container

   Broader terms

   container

2. a pill in the form of a small rounded gelatinous container with medicine inside

   Broader terms

   pilllozengetablettab

3. a dry dehiscent seed vessel or the spore-containing structure of e.g. mosses

   Broader terms

   pericarpseed vessel

4. a shortened version of a written work

   Synonyms

   condensationabridgementabridgment

   Broader terms

   summarysum-up

5. a structure that encloses a body part

   Broader terms

   structureanatomical structurecomplex body partbodily structurebody structure

6. a spacecraft designed to transport people and support human life in outer space

   Synonyms

   space capsule

   Broader terms

   spacecraftballistic capsulespace vehicle

7. a pilot's seat in an airplane that can be forcibly ejected in the case of an emergency; then the pilot descends by parachute

   Synonyms

   ejection seatejector seat

   Broader terms

   seat

Verb

1. enclose in a capsule

   Synonyms

   capsulatecapsulizecapsulise

   Broader terms

   envelopenfoldenwrapwrapenclose

2. put in a short or concise form; reduce in volume

   Synonyms

   encapsulatecapsulizecapsulise

   Broader terms

   digestcondenseconcentrate

   Examples

   capsulize the news