Pil

/pɪl/ noun

Definition

A small tablet or capsule containing medicine that you swallow to treat illness or prevent disease.

Etymology

From Latin 'pilula' meaning 'little ball,' referring to the original round shape of medicinal pellets before modern manufacturing.

Kelly Says

Ancient Romans made pills by hand rolling herb powders into balls with honey or oil—the word literally means 'little ball'! Today's perfectly shaped tablets are a triumph of 20th-century chemistry and precision manufacturing.

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