ampulla
noun
am·pul·la
am-ˈpu̇-lə 
ˈam-ˌpyü-lə
ˈam-ˌpyü-lə
plural ampullae
am-ˈpu-(ˌ)lē
-ˌlī,
ˈam-ˌpyü-
1
: a glass or earthenware flask with a globular body and two handles used especially by the ancient Romans to hold ointment, perfume, or wine
2
: a saccular anatomical swelling or pouch
Examples of ampulla in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The regalia that King Frederik sported are presented alongside the King’s badges of rank like the crown, scepter, orb, coronation sword and anointing ampulla — a royal parallel to some of the objects used in King Charles’ coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in May 2023.
—
Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
There is a 14th Century legend that the Virgin Mary appeared to St Thomas à Becket and presented him with a golden eagle and a vial of oil for anointing future Kings of England, which is what the original ampulla as thought to have been based on.
—Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, 6 May 2023
The holy oil will be poured from an ampulla shaped like an eagle and a 13th-century spoon — both gold (naturally).
—Kelly Faircloth, Curbed, 5 May 2023
The ampulla The Ampulla has a hole in the beak that is used to pour oil into the Coronation Spoon.
—Max Taylor, NBC News, 4 May 2023
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Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
There is a 14th Century legend that the Virgin Mary appeared to St Thomas à Becket and presented him with a golden eagle and a vial of oil for anointing future Kings of England, which is what the original ampulla as thought to have been based on.
—Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, 6 May 2023
The holy oil will be poured from an ampulla shaped like an eagle and a 13th-century spoon — both gold (naturally).
—Kelly Faircloth, Curbed, 5 May 2023
The ampulla The Ampulla has a hole in the beak that is used to pour oil into the Coronation Spoon.
—Max Taylor, NBC News, 4 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Ampulla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ampulla. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ampulla
noun
am·pul·la
am-ˈpu̇-lə
ˈam-ˌpyü-lə
ˈam-ˌpyü-lə
plural ampullae
-ˌlē
: a saccular anatomic swelling or pouch: as
a
: the dilatation containing a patch of sensory epithelium at one end of each semicircular canal of the ear
b
: one of the dilatations of the lactiferous tubules of the mammary glands that serve as reservoirs for milk
c(1)
: the middle portion of the fallopian tube
(2)
: the distal dilatation of a vas deferens near the opening of the duct leading from the seminal vesicle
d
: a terminal dilatation of the rectum just before it joins the anal canal
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