English Explanatory Dictionary

pellet

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A small, compressed, hard chunk of matter.
  2. A lead projectile used as ammunition in rifled air guns.
  3. Compressed byproduct of digestion regurgitated by owls and many other birds of prey, which serves as a waste disposal mechanism for indigestible parts of food, such as fur and bones.
  4. A roundel sable (black circular spot).
  5. One of the short conductive tubes in a Pelletron particle accelerator.
verb
  1. To form into pellets.
  2. To strike with pellets.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɛl.ɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-pellet.wav /ˈpel.ɪt/

Word forms

pellet pellets pelleting pelleted

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English pelote, pelet, from Old French pelote (“small ball”), from Vulgar Latin *pilotta, diminutive of Latin pila (“ball”). Doublet of pelota.

Synonyms

ogress pelletize

Derived words

biopellet ice pellet immunopellet macropellet micropellet pelletable pelletal pellet drum pelleter pellet gun pelletization pelletless pelletlike pellet moulding pellet stove pellistor repellet
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