Capsule — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb adjective /ˈkap-səl/ cap·sule

Meaning & Definition of Capsule

Capsule (noun)

  1. a membrane or sac enclosing a body part (such as a knee joint or kidney)
  2. either of two layers of white matter in the cerebrum
  3. a closed receptacle containing spores or seeds

Capsule (verb)

  1. to equip with or enclose in a capsule
  2. to condense into or devise in a compact form

Capsule (adjective)

  1. extremely brief
  2. small and very compact

Capsule (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a small mass containing medicine to be taken orally

    "took an antibiotic capsule three times a day for a week"

    similar: cap, lozenge, pill, tablet
    related: cure, drug, medication, medicinal, pharmaceutical, physic, remedy, specific, miracle drug, wonder drug, potion, preparation, dosage, dose, drop, gelcap, bolus, pilule

  2. something that encloses another thing especially to protect it

    "a capsule containing all sorts of items from our era that is to be opened 100 years from now"

    similar: armor, case, casing, cocoon, cover, covering, encasement, housing, hull, husk, jacket, pod, sheath, shell
    related: cartridge, cassette, bark, crust, carapace, house, mail, panoply, plate, plating, shield, cuticle, hide, skin, envelope, package, wrapper, backing, coating, coverture, facing

  3. a short statement of the main points

    "capsules of the day's major news stories appear on the paper's second page"

    similar: abstract, breviary, brief, conspectus, digest, encapsulation, epitome, inventory, outline, précis, recap, recapitulation, résumé, roundup, run-through, rundown, sum, sum-up, summa, summarization, summary, summing-up, synopsis, wrap-up
    related: abbreviation, abridgment, compend, compendium, condensation, curtailment, shortening, simplification, streamlining, rehash, reprise, conclusion, epilogue
    near: amplification, enlargement, expansion, addendum, supplement

Capsule (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning

    "capsule reviews of the latest offerings at the multiplex"

    similar: aphoristic, apothegmatic, brief, compact, compendious, concise, crisp, curt, elliptical, epigrammatic, laconic, monosyllabic, pithy, sententious, succinct, summary, telegraphic, terse, thumbnail
    related: abrupt, blunt, brusque, short, snippety, snippy, abbreviated, abridged, condensed, curtailed, shortened, meaty, substantial, meaningful, significant, well-turned
    opposite: circuitous, circumlocutory, diffuse, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy
    near: pleonastic, redundant, repetitious, tautological, tautologous, enlarged, expanded, supplemented, embellished, embroidered, exaggerated, inflated

Capsule (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together

    "newscasts that capsule complex, important stories into one-minute bits for easy digestion by viewers"

    similar: capsulize, collapse, compact, compress, condense, constrict, constringe, contract, narrow (down), squeeze, telescope
    related: cram, crowd, jam, jam-pack, pack, abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, boil down, downsize, shrink, concentrate, consolidate, simplify, streamline, decrease, diminish, lessen
    opposite: decompress, expand, open, outspread, outstretch
    near: dilate, disperse, dissipate, scatter, distend, inflate, swell

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Capsule

The most common words with a similar meaning to Capsule:

cap, lozenge, pill, tablet, armor, case, casing, cocoon, cover, covering, encasement, housing, hull, husk, jacket, pod, sheath, shell, abstract, breviary, brief, conspectus, digest, encapsulation, epitome, inventory, outline, précis, recap, recapitulation, résumé, roundup, run-through, rundown, sum, sum-up, summa, summarization, summary, summing-up

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Capsule

Words with the opposite meaning of Capsule:

circuitous, circumlocutory, diffuse, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy, decompress, expand, open, outspread, outstretch

Related Words for Capsule

cure, drug, medication, medicinal, pharmaceutical, physic, remedy, specific, miracle drug, wonder drug, potion, preparation, dosage, dose, drop, gelcap, bolus, pilule, cartridge, cassette, bark, crust, carapace, house, mail, panoply, plate, plating, shield, cuticle

Near Antonyms of Capsule

amplification, enlargement, expansion, addendum, supplement, pleonastic, redundant, repetitious, tautological, tautologous, enlarged, expanded, supplemented, embellished, embroidered, exaggerated, inflated, dilate, disperse, dissipate, scatter, distend, inflate, swell

Word Forms of Capsule

Inflections: capsuled, capsuling

Origin & Etymology of Capsule

French, from Latin capsula, diminutive of capsa box case

First known use: circa 1693

Words & Phrases Containing Capsule

capsule wardrobe, Bowman's capsule, time capsule

Frequently Asked Questions about Capsule

What does "Capsule" mean?

"Capsule" means a membrane or sac enclosing a body part (such as a knee joint or kidney). As an a noun, a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: a membrane or sac enclosing a body part (such as a knee joint or kidney). It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Capsule"?

Other words for "Capsule" include cap, lozenge, pill, tablet, armor, case, casing and cocoon. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Capsule" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Capsule"?

There are 156 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Capsule". Common alternatives include cap, lozenge, pill, tablet, armor, case, casing, cocoon, cover and covering.

What is the opposite of "Capsule"?

Antonyms of "Capsule" include circuitous, circumlocutory, diffuse, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose and windy. Near antonyms include amplification, enlargement, expansion and addendum.

How do you use "Capsule" in a sentence?

Examples of "Capsule" in a sentence: "took an antibiotic capsule three times a day for a week"; "a capsule containing all sorts of items from our era that is to be opened 100 years from now"; "capsules of the day's major news stories appear on the paper's second page".

Is "Capsule" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Capsule" can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Capsule"?

"Capsule" is pronounced /ˈkap-səl/ and divided into syllables as cap·sule.

What is the origin of the word "Capsule"?

"Capsule" comes from French, from Latin capsula, diminutive of capsa box case. First known use: circa 1693.