/ ˈkæpsjuːl; NAmE ; NAmE also ˈkæpsl/ noun
1.
a small container which has a measured amount of a medicine inside and which dissolves when you swallow it
2.
a small plastic container with a substance or liquid inside
3.
the part of a spacecraft in which people travel and that often separates from the main rocket
4.
( technical ) a shell or container for seeds or eggs in some plants and animals
—see also time capsule
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the general sense small container ): via French from Latin capsula , diminutive of capsa related to capere to hold.