capsule
gb/kˈæpsəl/ us/kˈæpsəl/
B1
English
~ 7900
kapszula, rövid összefoglaló, rövid ismertető, űrkapszula, tok, védőburok, tömör, rövid
NOUN
B1
1
kapszula
B1
Usage pattern:
to take [a] capsule
The doctor prescribed one capsule to be taken twice a day after meals.
Az orvos azt írta elő, hogy naponta kétszer, étkezés után egy kapszulát kell bevenni.
If you find the capsule hard to swallow, you can open it and mix the powder with yogurt.
Ha nehéz lenyelni a kapszulát, fel lehet nyitni, és a port joghurtba lehet keverni.
These vitamins also come in capsule form, which is easier on the stomach than tablets.
Make sure the child does not chew the capsule; it should be swallowed whole.
She forgot to take her evening capsule and had to adjust her schedule the next day.
Learner examples
I take one capsule every morning with water.
Minden reggel vízzel veszek be egy kapszulát.
This medicine is a small red and white capsule.
Ez a gyógyszer egy kis piros-fehér kapszula.
Do not break the capsule before you swallow it.
He bought vitamin C capsules at the pharmacy.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "capsule" for any kind of medicine, even liquids or large tablets. Use "capsule" only when the medicine is in a small shell (often gelatin) that you swallow whole. For other solid medicine, "pill" or "tablet" is usually better.
Meaning
small medicine container (pill)
Collocations
take a capsule
|swallow a capsule
|vitamin capsule
|in capsule form
|gelatin capsule
|antibiotic capsule
Synonyms
pill (More general word for a small solid dose of medicine; does not imply a soft shell filled with powder or liquid.)
Antonyms
liquid medicine (Refers to medicine taken as a drink, not in a small solid container you swallow whole.)
Themes
health
|daily life
|medicine
|daily_life
Definition
A small soft case you swallow that has medicine inside.
A small, usually gelatin shell filled with medicine, swallowed whole as a single dose.
NOUN
B2
2
kapszula
B1
Usage pattern:
a [material] capsule filled with [something]
Each toy comes inside a small plastic capsule from the vending machine.
Az automatából minden játék egy kis műanyag kapszulában jön ki.
The coffee machine uses aluminum capsules instead of ground coffee.
A kávégép őrölt kávé helyett alumíniumkapszulákat használ.
They sealed their letters in a metal capsule and buried it under the schoolyard.
An emergency escape capsule is attached to the side of the experimental aircraft.
The tiny glass capsule breaks when you press it, releasing the perfume inside.
Learner examples
The toy is inside a little plastic capsule.
A játék egy kis műanyag kapszulában van.
She put the note in a metal capsule and closed it.
Egy fémkapszulába tette az üzenetet, és lezárta.
This machine needs special coffee capsules.
The glass capsule holds a small amount of gas.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "capsule" is only for medicine. In fact, it can also mean other very small closed containers, like a toy capsule or a coffee capsule.
Meaning
small sealed container or case
Collocations
time capsule
|plastic capsule
|toy capsule
|coffee capsule
|escape capsule
|sealed capsule
Synonyms
container (A very general word; does not suggest the small, sealed, protective nature that "capsule" often has.)
Antonyms
open container (A container that is not sealed and does not fully enclose or protect its contents.)
Themes
objects
|technology
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very small closed container that keeps things inside it.
A very small, often hard or sealed container that holds or protects something inside.
NOUN
C1
3
Usage pattern:
a capsule [summary/review/biography] of [something]
The back cover gives a capsule summary of the book’s plot.
A hátsó borító rövid összefoglalót ad a könyv cselekményéről.
Each film was followed by a capsule review in the local newspaper.
A helyi újságban mindegyik filmről megjelent egy rövid ismertető.
The reporter opened with a capsule biography of the new prime minister.
At the start of the lecture, she offered a capsule history of the conflict.
This chart provides a capsule overview of our main findings.
Learner examples
The teacher gave a capsule summary of last week’s lesson.
A tanár rövid összefoglalót adott a múlt heti tananyagról.
The article starts with a capsule review of the new phone.
A cikk az új telefon rövid ismertetőjével kezdődik.
He wrote a capsule biography of the singer for the website.
This page gives a capsule history of the company.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the medicine meaning and try to use "capsule" alone to mean "summary" in all contexts. This sense is usually used before another noun, as in "capsule summary" or "capsule review", or in phrases like "in capsule form."
Meaning
very short summary
Collocations
capsule summary
|capsule review
|capsule biography
|capsule description
|in capsule form
Synonyms
summary (General word for a shorter version; does not always carry the idea of being very brief and compact like "capsule".)
Antonyms
detailed account (A long, full explanation with many details, the opposite of a very short summary.)
Themes
media
|education
|communication
Definition
A very short text or talk that only gives the main ideas.
A very brief summary or review that gives only the most important points.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
4
űrkapszula
B2
Usage pattern:
a [crew/space/reentry] capsule
The crew capsule separated from the rocket and entered orbit.
A legénységi kapszula levált a rakétáról, és pályára állt.
After three days in space, the capsule splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
Három űrben töltött nap után a kapszula biztonságosan visszatért, és leszállt a Csendes-óceánon.
Engineers tested the capsule’s heat shield for reentry conditions.
The astronauts waited in the capsule while mission control checked all systems.
The museum displays the original space capsule from the historic mission.
Learner examples
The astronauts sit in the small space capsule.
Az űrhajósok a kis űrkapszulában ülnek.
The capsule came back to Earth and landed in the sea.
A kapszula visszatért a Földre, és a tengerben landolt.
They showed the old space capsule in the science museum.
Fire burned around the capsule when it entered the air.
Common mistake:
Learners may use "spacecraft" or "rocket" when they specifically mean the small part where the astronauts sit or which returns to Earth. "Capsule" is that enclosed section, not the whole rocket.
Meaning
crew or reentry part of spacecraft
Collocations
space capsule
|crew capsule
|reentry capsule
|capsule splashdown
|capsule lands in the ocean
Synonyms
spacecraft (A more general term for any vehicle in space; does not specifically mean the small enclosed returning section.)
Antonyms
space station (A large, long-term structure in space, opposite in size and purpose to a small returning capsule.)
Themes
science
|space
|technology
|travel
Definition
The small closed part of a spaceship where people or things travel, usually the part that comes back to Earth.
The small enclosed part of a spacecraft that carries astronauts or equipment, especially the section that returns to Earth.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
5
Usage pattern:
the [joint/renal/bacterial] capsule
Inflammation of the joint capsule can cause severe shoulder pain.
Az ízületi tok gyulladása erős vállfájdalmat okozhat.
The kidney is surrounded by a tough fibrous capsule.
A vesét kemény, rostos tok veszi körül.
Many bacteria have a protective capsule that helps them resist the immune system.
The surgeon carefully cut through the capsule of the organ.
Under the microscope, the bacterial capsule appears as a clear halo around each cell.
Learner examples
The kidney has a strong capsule around it.
A vesét erős tok veszi körül.
Some bacteria have a capsule that protects them.
Egyes baktériumoknak van tokjuk, amely megvédi őket.
The doctor said the joint capsule in my knee is damaged.
A capsule is a cover around a body part or cell.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this medical or biological meaning with the medicine-pill sense. In this technical sense, a "capsule" is a natural covering in the body or in microorganisms, not something you swallow.
Meaning
protective outer biological layer
Collocations
joint capsule
|renal capsule
|bacterial capsule
|fibrous capsule
|capsule of the liver
Synonyms
membrane (A general word for a thin layer; not all membranes are full enclosing sacs like a capsule.)
Antonyms
core (Refers to the inner part of a structure, in contrast to the outer protective covering.)
Themes
science
|medicine
|biology
|health
|body
Definition
A thin outer cover around a body part, joint, cell, or tiny organism that protects it.
A membrane, sac, or other outer layer that encloses or protects an organ, joint, cell, or microorganism.
C1
6
Usage pattern:
a capsule [review/biography/wardrobe/collection]
The magazine offers capsule reviews of the week’s best films.
A magazin tömör kritikákat közöl a hét legjobb filmjeiről.
She gave a capsule biography of the artist before the talk began.
Az előadás előtt rövid életrajzi ismertetőt adott a művészről.
I’m trying to build a capsule wardrobe of high‑quality basics.
The brand released a capsule collection for the summer season.
We stayed in a capsule hotel with tiny self-contained rooms.
Learner examples
The website has capsule reviews of many books.
A weboldalon sok könyvről vannak rövid ismertetők.
He told a capsule story of his life in two minutes.
Két perc alatt röviden elmesélte az élete történetét.
She wants a small capsule wardrobe for travel.
The company made a capsule collection of only ten pieces.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "capsule" here still means something physical like a pill. In phrases like "capsule review" or "capsule wardrobe", it describes something very small and complete in itself, not a container.
Meaning
brief and self-contained
Collocations
capsule review
|capsule biography
|capsule wardrobe
|capsule collection
|capsule hotel
Synonyms
concise (Emphasizes being brief in language; "capsule" more strongly suggests being compact and self-contained as a whole unit.)
Antonyms
detailed (Includes many parts and lots of information, opposite of short and limited to essentials.)
Themes
media
|fashion
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Short and small, with only the most important parts included.
Very small, self-contained, and limited to the essential elements.
Grammar
Dictionary form
capsule
IPA
GB/kˈæpsəl/
US/kˈæpsəl/
Syllables & stress
cap - sule (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cap)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: capsule
- Plural: capsules
Word family
Expressions
capsule collection
1/kˈæpsəl kəlˈɛkʃən/
fixed phrase
small limited-edition product line
A small group of products, often clothes, made as a short, special series.
Examples
- The designer launched a capsule collection for the holidays.
- This capsule collection will only be available for three months.
- They released a capsule collection of eco‑friendly basics.
capsule hotel
1/kˈæpsəl hoʊtˈɛl/
fixed phrase
hotel with tiny sleeping pods
A hotel where guests sleep in very small boxes or pods instead of normal rooms.
Examples
- We stayed in a capsule hotel near the train station in Tokyo.
- A capsule hotel is cheap, but the sleeping space is very small.
- Capsule hotels are popular with travelers who just need a place to sleep for one night.
in capsule form
1/ˈɪn kˈæpsəl fˈɔɹm/
fixed phrase
as medicine capsules
Given or sold as small capsules that you swallow, not as a liquid or tablet.
Examples
- The supplement is available in capsule form or as a powder.
- For people who dislike the taste, the drug also comes in capsule form.
- These herbs are often taken in capsule form for convenience.
time capsule
1/tˈaɪm kˈæpsəl/
fixed phrase
sealed container for future opening
A box or other container with things from today that people close and keep to open many years later.
Examples
- The school buried a time capsule to be opened on its 100th anniversary.
- They filled the time capsule with letters, photos, and small objects from daily life.
- Finding the old time capsule gave historians a glimpse of ordinary life a century ago.
capsule wardrobe
1/kˈæpsəl wˈɔɹdɹˌoʊb/
fixed phrase
small versatile clothing collection
A small number of clothes that all go well together and can make many different outfits.
Examples
- She’s trying to create a capsule wardrobe so she can travel with only one suitcase.
- She created a capsule wardrobe of about thirty pieces for the whole year.
- A good capsule wardrobe focuses on simple, high‑quality pieces you can mix and match.
- A good capsule wardrobe can save time and money when getting dressed.
- The article explains how to build a capsule wardrobe for the office.
- Many fashion blogs give advice on how to build a capsule wardrobe for work.