Capsule
/ˈkæp.sjuːl/noun
A small enclosed container or a protective shell around something.
Did you know?The word entered English through French and Latin, and its earliest sense was a small box or case, which later expanded into the idea of a sealed container, a seed pod, and even a space capsule.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
capsula
“a small box, case, or chest”
Classical Latin
Latin
capsa
“a box or chest”
Old French
Old French
capsule
“a small box or case”
16th-17th Century
English
capsule
“a small case or container”
Modern English
English
capsule
“a small sealed container or enclosing structure”