2. (Anat.) A minute, thin-walled vessel; particularly one of the smallest blood vessels connecting arteries and veins, but used also for the smallest lymphatic and biliary vessels. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
Capillary — Cap il*la*ry (k[a^]p [i^]l*l[asl]*r[y^] or k[.a]*p[i^]l l[.a]*r[y^]; 277), a. [L. capillaris, fr. capillus hair. Cf. {Capillaire}.] 1. Resembling a hair; fine; minute; very slender; having minute tubes or interspaces; having very small bore; as,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
capillary — 1650s (adj.), 1660s (n.), from L. capillaris of hair, from capillus hair (of the head); probably related to caput head. Borrowed earlier as capillar (14c.). Capillary attraction attested from 1813. Capillarity is recorded from 1830, from Fr.… … Etymology dictionary
capillary — ► NOUN 1) Anatomy any of the fine branching blood vessels that form a network between the arterioles and venules. 2) (also capillary tube) a tube with an internal diameter of hair like thinness. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ relating to capillaries or… … English terms dictionary
capillary — [kap′ə ler΄ē; ] Brit [ kə pil′ə ri] adj. [L capillaris < capillus, hair] 1. of or like a hair, esp. in being very slender 2. having a very small bore 3. in or of capillaries n. pl. capillaries 1. a tube with a very small bo … English World dictionary
Capillary — Capillaries are the smallest of a body s blood vessels, measuring 5 10 μm in diameter, which connect arterioles and venules, and enable the interchange of water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and many other nutrient and waste chemical substances… … Wikipedia
Capillary — One of the tiny blood vessels that connect the arterioles (the smallest divisions of the arteries) and the venules (the smallest divisions of the veins). The capillaries form a fine network in many parts of the body. Although minute, the… … Medical dictionary
capillary — I. adjective Etymology: French or Latin; French capillaire, from Latin capillaris, from capillus hair Date: 14th century 1. a. resembling a hair especially in slender elongated form < capillary leaves > b. having a very small bore < a capillary… … New Collegiate Dictionary
capillary — /kap euh ler ee/, adj., n., pl. capillaries. adj. 1. pertaining to or occurring in or as if in a tube of fine bore. 2. resembling a strand of hair; hairlike. 3. Physics. a. pertaining to capillarity. b. of or pertaining to the apparent attraction … Universalium
capillary — /kəˈpɪləri / (say kuh piluhree) noun (plural capillaries) 1. Anatomy one of the minute blood vessels between the terminations of the arteries and the beginnings of the veins. 2. Also, capillary tube. a tube with a small bore. –adjective 3.… …
capillary — adj. & n. adj. 1 of or like a hair. 2 (of a tube) of hairlike internal diameter. 3 of one of the delicate ramified blood vessels intervening between arteries and veins. n. (pl. ies) 1 a capillary tube. 2 a capillary blood vessel. Phrases and… … Useful english dictionary
