capsule

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cap·sule / ˈkapsəl; ˈkapˌsoōl/ • n. a small case or container, esp. a round or cylindrical one. ∎  a small, soluble case of gelatin containing a dose of medicine, swallowed whole. ∎  a top or cover for a bottle, esp. the foil or plastic covering the cork of a wine bottle. ∎ short for space capsule. ∎  [as adj.] fig. (of a piece of writing) shortened but retaining the essence of the original: a capsule review of the movie. ∎  Anat. a tough sheath or membrane that encloses something in the body, such as a kidney, a lens, or a synovial joint. ∎  Biol. a gelatinous layer forming the outer surface of some bacterial cells. ∎  Bot. a dry fruit that releases its seeds by bursting open when ripe, such as a pea pod. ∎  Bot. the spore-producing structure of mosses and liverworts, typically borne on a stalk.DERIVATIVES: cap·su·lar / ˈkapsələr/ adj.cap·su·late / ˈkapsələt; -ˌlāt/ adj.

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