capillary Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a tube of small internal diameter; holds liquid by capillary action
    capillary tube; capillary tubing.
  2. noun any of the minute blood vessels connecting arterioles with venules
    capillary vessel.
  3. adjective of or relating to hair
  4. adjective satellite long and slender with a very small internal diameter
    hairlike.
    • a capillary tube

WordNet

Cap"il*la*ry adjective
Etymology
L. capillaris, fr. capillus hair. Cf. Capillaire.
Definitions
  1. Resembling a hair; fine; minute; very slender; having minute tubes or interspaces; having very small bore; as, the capillary vessels of animals and plants.
  2. Pertaining to capillary tubes or vessels; as, capillary action.
Cap"il*la*ry noun
Wordforms
plural , Capillaries
Definitions
  1. A tube or vessel, extremely fine or minute.
  2. (Anat.) A minute, thin-walled vessel; particularly one of the smallest blood vessels connecting arteries and veins, but used also for the smallest lymphatic and biliary vessels.

Webster 1913