capillary
[ kap-uh-ler-ee ]
/ ˈkæp əˌlɛr i /
adjective
pertaining to or occurring in or as if in a tube of fine bore.
resembling a strand of hair; hairlike.
Physics.
- pertaining to capillarity.
- of or relating to the apparent attraction or repulsion between a liquid and a solid, observed in capillarity.
Anatomy.
pertaining to a capillary or capillaries.
noun, plural cap·il·lar·ies.
Anatomy.
one of the minute blood vessels between the terminations of the arteries and the beginnings of the veins.
Also called capillary tube.
a tube with a small bore.
Origin of capillary
OTHER WORDS FROM capillary
in·ter·cap·il·lar·y, adjective non·cap·il·lar·y, adjective, noun, plural non·cap·il·lar·ies.Words nearby capillary
Example sentences from the Web for capillaries
British Dictionary definitions for capillaries
capillary
/ (kəˈpɪlərɪ) /
adjective
resembling a hair; slender
(of tubes) having a fine bore
anatomy
of or relating to any of the delicate thin-walled blood vessels that form an interconnecting network between the arterioles and the venules
physics
of or relating to capillarity
noun plural -laries
anatomy
any of the capillary blood vessels
a fine hole or narrow passage in any substance
Word Origin for capillary
C17: from Latin
capillāris, from
capillus hair
Medical definitions for capillaries
capillary
[ kăp′ə-lĕr′ē ]
adj.
Of or relating to the capillaries.
Relating to or resembling a hair; fine and slender.
n.
Blood capillary.
Scientific definitions for capillaries
capillary
[ kăp′ə-lĕr′ē ]
Any of the tiny blood vessels that connect the smallest arteries (arterioles) to the smallest veins (venules). Capillaries form a network throughout the body for the exchange of oxygen, metabolic waste products, and carbon dioxide between blood and tissue cells.
Cultural definitions for capillaries (1 of 2)
capillaries
[ (kap-uh-ler-eez) ]
The tiny blood vessels throughout the body that connect arteries and veins. Capillaries form an intricate network around body tissues in order to distribute oxygen and nutrients to the cells and remove waste substances. (See circulatory system.)
Cultural definitions for capillaries (2 of 2)
capillary
[ (kap-uh-ler-ee) ]
A thin tube, such as a blood vessel or a straw, through which fluids flow.
notes for capillary
The interaction between the fluid and the vessel walls produces a
force that can lift the fluid up into the tube, a phenomenon known as capillary action.