vial

UK: /ˈvaɪl/, /ˈvaɪəl/ US: /ˈvaɪəl, vaɪl/ ,(vī′əl, vīl)

Inflections of 'vial' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

When both "l" and "ll" forms exist, spellings with a double "l" are correct, but rare, in US English, while those with a single "l" are not correct in UK English.

vials

v 3rd person singular

vialling

v pres p (Mainly UK)

vialing

v pres p (US)

vialled

v past (Mainly UK)

vialed

v past (US)

vialled

v past p (Mainly UK)

vialed

v past p (US)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

vi•al /ˈvaɪəl, vaɪl/   n. [countable]

1. Also, phial. a small container, as of glass, for holding liquids or medicines.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

vi•al  (vī′əl, vīl), n., v., -aled, -al•ing or (esp. Brit.) -alled, -al•ling. 
n. 

1. Also, phial. a small container, as of glass, for holding liquids:
   a vial of rare perfume; a vial of medicine.
2. pour out vials of wrath, to wreak vengeance or express anger:
   In her preface she pours out vials of wrath on her detractors.

v.t. 

3. to put into or keep in a vial.

• Middle English viole, variant of fiole phial 1300–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

vial / ˈvaɪəl vaɪl/ noun

1. a less common variant of phial

Etymology: 14th Century: fiole, from Old French, from Old Provençal fiola, from Latin phiala, from Greek phialē; see phial