Definitions
Phial is a noun that refers to a small glass container used for holding liquids, especially medicines.
Example
The doctor gave me a phial of cough syrup.
Example
She carefully poured the liquid into the phial.
Vial is also a noun that refers to a small glass container used for holding liquids, but it is typically used for scientific or medical purposes.
Example
The scientist carefully measured the chemicals and stored them in a vial.
Example
The nurse handed me a vial of painkillers.
File can be used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to a tool with a rough surface used for smoothing or shaping hard materials such as wood or metal. As a verb, it means to smooth or shape something using a file.
Example
He used a file to smooth the rough edges of the metal.
Example
I need to file my nails before the party tonight.
Tips To Remember the Differences
Here are a few tips to easily distinguish the difference between these words while keeping in mind the description we've provided:
- To remember the difference between phial and vial, you could associate phial with 'pharmacy' since it is often used for holding medicine. - For vial, you could associate it with 'virus' since it is often used in scientific or medical contexts where viruses are studied. - To remember file, think of the 'i' in file as a long, thin piece of metal that can be used to smooth or shape other metals.
Remember this!
Remember, phial and vial are both small glass containers, but phial is typically used for holding medicine while vial is used for scientific or medical purposes. File is a tool used for smoothing or shaping hard materials.
