View source for Phial - vial

The two [[noun]]s '''phial''' and '''vial''' are in essence the same word, although they are pronounced slightly differently, as they are spelled, with an [[Voice (phonetic)|unvoiced]] '-f-' for the first consonant of '''phial''' and a [[Voice (phonetic)|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.

::'''''[[etymology|Etymological]] note''''': although the modern '''phial'''/'''vial''' is a small container, rather resembling a cartridge for an ink pen, its [[etymological root|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.

[[Category:alternative spellings]]
[[Category:clarification of meanings]]
[[Category:etymology]]
[[Category:etymological curiosities]]
[[Category:archaic English]]