vesicle
vesicle Lexical Profile
vesicle Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small fluid-filled sac, cyst, or membrane-bound structure within a biological cell or body tissue, responsible for storing or transporting substances.
"Neurotransmitters are packaged inside tiny synaptic vesicles before being released across the neural gap."
A small, circumscribed elevation of the epidermis containing clear serous fluid; a small blister.
"The dermatologist noted that the rash consisted of clusters of small, itchy vesicles on the patient's forearm."
A small cavity or pore in a volcanic rock, formed by the expansion and trapping of a gas bubble during the solidification of lava.
"The basalt sample was riddled with rounded vesicles left behind by escaping volcanic gases."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'vesicle' (a small fluid-filled sac or blister) with 'vessel' (a ship, container, or tubular structure like a blood vessel) or 'vestibule' (an entrance hall or anatomical cavity).
• Rhymes for vesicle
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin vesicula ('little bladder or blister'), the diminutive form of vesica ('bladder' or 'blister').