Pl. -æ. [L. ampulla a small nearly globular flask or bottle, with two handles; of doubtful derivation; according to some f. amb- about, or both + olla pot; according to others, a modified dim. of amphora quasi ampholla. Preceded in use by the adapted form AMPUL.]
1. Rom. Antiq. The ancient vessel mentioned above.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. cxxviii. (1495), 933. Ampulla is a lytyll mesure of lycoure and hath that name as it were Amplabulla, a large bulle, and is lyke in roundnesse to bolk that comyth of the fome of water by entrynge of wynde.
1857. Birch, Anc. Pottery (1858), II. 318. The ampulla, a kind of jug, was used for bringing wine to table.
2. = AMPUL 2.
1598. Stow, Surv. (ed. Strype, 1754), I. I. xx. 121/1. The Ampulla or Eaglet of Gold, contained the holy oil.
1838. Coron. Serv., in Maskell, Mon. Rit. Eccl. Aug., III. 108. The Dean of Westminster taking the Ampulla and spoon from off the Altar, holdeth them ready, pouring some of the Holy Oil into the Spoon, and with it the Archbishop anointeth the Queen in the form of a Cross.
1868. Stanley, Westw. Ab., ii. 92. Busby carried the ampulla.
3. Biol. Any vessel shaped like the ancient ampulla; the dilated end of any vessel, canal or duct in an animal; the spongiole of a root in plants.
1821. S. Gray, Arr. Brit. Pl., I. 49. Ampullæ, Hollow globular bodies found in the roots of some water-plants.
1845. Todd & Bowman, Phys. Anat., II. 74. Each semi-circular canal of the osseous labyrinth of the ear is dilated … into an ampulla of more than twice the diameter of the tube.
1879. Calderwood, Mind & Brain, iii. 73. These enlarged spaces are known as the ampullæ of the canals.
