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pill1

Syllabification: (pill)
Pronunciation: /pil/

Translate pill | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of pill

noun

  • a small round mass of solid medicine to be swallowed whole.
  • (the pill or the Pill) a contraceptive pill:she is on the pill
  • informal a tedious or unpleasant person.
  • informal (in some sports) a humorous term for a ball.

Phrases

a bitter pill (to swallow)

an unpleasant or painful necessity (to accept).

Derivatives

pilular

Pronunciation: /ˈpilyələr/

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: ultimately from Latin pilula 'little ball', diminutive of pila; compare with Middle Dutch and Middle Low German pille

pill in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of pill in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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