First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1capillary
adjective cap·il·lary \ˈka-pə-ˌler-ē, -ˌle-rē, British usually kə-ˈpi-lə-rē\
Definition of CAPILLARY
1
a : resembling a hair especially in slender elongated form <capillary leaves> b : having a very small bore <a capillary tube>
2
: involving, held by, or resulting from surface tension <capillary water in the soil>
3
: of or relating to capillaries or capillarity
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Origin of CAPILLARY
French or Latin; French capillaire, from Latin capillaris, from capillus hair
Other Anatomy Terms
Rhymes with CAPILLARY
actuary, adversary, airy-fairy, ancillary, antiquary, apiary, arbitrary, aviary, axillary, bacillary, beriberi, bestiary, biliary, black raspberry, Bloody Mary, boysenberry, breviary, budgetary, calamari, calamary, candleberry, Canterbury, carpellary, cassowary, catenary, cautionary, cavitary, cemetery, centenary, certiorari, checkerberry, chinaberry, cometary, commentary, commissary, condottiere, coralberry, corollary, coronary, culinary, customary, dictionary, dietary, dignitary, dromedary, dysentery, elderberry, emissary, estuary, farkleberry, February, formulary, fragmentary, fritillary, functionary, funerary, honorary, huckleberry, intermarry, janissary, January, lamasery, lapidary, lectionary, legendary, legionary, lingonberry, literary, loganberry, luminary, mammillary, mandatary, maxillary, medullary, mercenary, miliary, military, millenary, milliary, millinery, missionary, momentary, monastery, mortuary, necessary, ordinary, ossuary, partridgeberry, pensionary, pigmentary, planetary, Pondicherry, prebendary, presbytery, pulmonary, quaternary, red mulberry, reliquary, rowanberry, salivary, salmonberry, salutary, sanctuary, sanguinary, sanitary, secondary, secretary, sedentary, seminary, silverberry, solitary, sour cherry, stationary, stationery, statuary, subcontrary, sublunary, sugarberry, sumptuary, syllabary, temporary, tertiary, thimbleberry, Tipperary, Tom and Jerry, topiary, tributary, tutelary, Typhoid Mary, unitary, urinary, vestiary, Virgin Mary, visionary, voluntary, vulnerary, Waterbury, whortleberry, winterberry
2capillary
noun
: one of the many very small tubes that carry blood within the body : the smallest kind of blood vessel
plural capillar·ies
Full Definition of CAPILLARY
1
: a minute thin-walled vessel of the body; especially : any of the smallest blood vessels connecting arterioles with venules and forming networks throughout the body
2
: a tube (as of glass) having a very small bore
See capillary defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of CAPILLARY
1667
Other Anatomy Terms
CAPILLARY Defined for Kids
1capillary
adjective cap·il·lary \ˈka-pə-ˌler-ē\
Definition of CAPILLARY for Kids
1
: having a long slender form and a small inner diameter <a capillary tube>
2
: of or relating to capillary action or a capillary
2capillary
noun
plural cap·il·lar·ies
Definition of CAPILLARY for Kids
: one of the slender hairlike tubes that are the smallest blood vessels and connect arteries with veins
Learn More About CAPILLARY
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