Phial - vial

The two nouns phial and vial are in essence the same word, although they are pronounced slightly differently, as they are spelled, with an unvoiced '-f-' for the first consonant of phial and a voiced '-v-' for the first consonant of vial. They mean the same thing, and share an etymology. AWE advises modern writers to use vial, the predominant current spelling. 'Phial' should be used in historic contexts only.

• A phial/vial is now always a small glass (or plastic) container, used, for example, to contain a dose of a particular medicine. They commonly have flat bottoms (to allow them to stand upright) and are tubular. Sometimes they have necks like those of bottles.

Etymological note: although the modern phial/vial is a small container, rather resembling a cartridge for an ink pen, its root is the original Greek name φιάλη ('phiale') of a broad, flat, shallow drinking vessel, like the Roman patera. The shapes and sizes are very different, but the names are related.