pellet

[ pel-it ]

/ ˈpɛl ɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pellet ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a small, rounded or spherical body, as of food or medicine.

a small wad or ball of wax, paper, etc., for throwing, shooting, or the like.

one of a charge of small shot, as for a shotgun.

a bullet.

a ball, usually of stone, formerly used as a missile.

Also called cast. Ornithology. a small, roundish mass of matter regurgitated by certain predatory birds, consisting of the indigestible remains, as the fur, feathers, and bones, of the prey.

(in Romanesque architecture) a hemispherical or disklike carved ornament.

Heraldry. ogress².

verb (used with object)

to form into pellets; pelletize.

to hit with pellets.

Origin of pellet

1325–75; Middle English pelet < Middle French pelote < Vulgar Latin *pilotta, diminutive of Latin pila ball. See pill¹, -et

OTHER WORDS FROM pellet

pel·let·like, adjective

Words nearby pellet

pellagrin, pellan, pellegrini's disease, pellekar, pelles, pellet, pelletier, pelletize, pellicle, pellicle mirror, pellitory

Example sentences from the Web for pellet

Sleet is rain mixed with snow; there are pellet like snowflakes that fall between warming and cooling fronts.

How to Survive a Southern Ice Storm |Nicholas Isabella |February 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Heber, who was struck by a pellet round to his head, was not seriously injured.

California School Shooter Had a ‘Hit List’ |Christine Pelisek |January 12, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
With the pellet gun pointed at him the manager opened the safe.

Should Juvenile Criminals Be Sentenced Like Adults? |Clark Merrefield |November 26, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
He found a manager who was buying a package of Goldfish crackers and pulled the pellet gun on him.

Should Juvenile Criminals Be Sentenced Like Adults? |Clark Merrefield |November 26, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

Then, as on the first occasion, he placed a pellet of paper on the table with their bread.

Bonnie Prince Charlie |G. A. Henty
A second racking crash as a second pellet flashed its tiny green flame.

Invasion |William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Immediately after came the "pluff" of an air-gun being discharged, and a pellet thudded against a post on the tow-path.

A Lively Bit of the Front |Percy F. Westerman
Haviland put in a pellet and fired at nothing in particular.

Haviland's Chum |Bertram Mitford
"It's a nice walk, too," added Norah, putting sorrow to flight by deftly landing a pellet of bread on Harry's nose.

A Little Bush Maid |Mary Grant Bruce

British Dictionary definitions for pellet

pellet

/ (ˈpɛlɪt) /

noun

a small round ball, esp of compressed matter a wax pellet

an imitation bullet used in toy guns
a piece of small shot

a stone ball formerly used as a catapult or cannon missile

Also called: cast, casting ornithol a mass of undigested food, including bones, fur, feathers, etc, that is regurgitated by certain birds, esp birds of prey

a small pill

a raised area on coins and carved or moulded ornaments

verb (tr)

to strike with pellets

to make or form into pellets

Word Origin for pellet

C14: from Old French pelote, from Vulgar Latin pilota (unattested), from Latin pila ball

Medical definitions for pellet

pellet

[ pĕl′ĭt ]

n.

A small pill; a pilule.

A small rod-shaped or ovoid mass, as of compressed steroid hormones, intended for subcutaneous implantation in body tissues to provide timed release over an extended period of time.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pellet

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of pellet

OTHER WORDS FROM pellet

Words nearby pellet

Example sentences from the Web for pellet

British Dictionary definitions for pellet

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for pellet

Medical definitions for pellet

n.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pellet

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of pellet

OTHER WORDS FROM pellet

Words nearby pellet

Words related to pellet

Example sentences from the Web for pellet

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for pellet

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for pellet

Medical definitions for pellet

n.

British Dictionary definitions for pellet