Pronunciation: [kˈapɪləɹi] (IPA) 
Capillary is a word that is commonly misspelled due to its complex spelling. The word begins with a "k" sound, which is spelled with a "c," followed by an "a" which is pronounced like "a" in "cat." The next syllable is "pi," which is pronounced like "pie," and is followed by "l" pronounced like "l" in "lollipop," and "ary" with the emphasis on the "a." The correct transcription of "capillary" is /ˈkæpəˌlɛri/.
Capillary refers to a tiny, thin-walled blood vessel in the human body that connects arteries to veins and is responsible for the exchange of materials between the blood and surrounding tissues. Capillaries are the smallest of all blood vessels, ranging in diameter from 5 to 10 micrometers, which is roughly that of a single red blood cell. They are highly abundant throughout the body, forming an intricate network that reaches almost every cell.
The structure of a capillary is characterized by its single layer of endothelial cells, allowing for the efficient diffusion of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products to and from cells. Despite their diminutive size, capillaries are crucial for maintaining the overall health and homeostasis of the body. They play a key role in regulating blood flow, controlling the exchange of gases and nutrients, and aiding in the removal of metabolic byproducts from tissues.
Capillaries are also involved in the regulation of blood pressure and body temperature, and they contribute to the immune response by facilitating the passage of white blood cells through the vessel walls to sites of infection or injury. Additionally, certain capillaries are specialized, such as those found in the lungs, where they enable the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide during respiration. Overall, capillaries are essential components of the circulatory system, supporting the delivery of vital substances to tissues and ensuring the removal of waste.
1. Relating to hair. 2. Very fine and hair-like. 3. One of the microscopic blood-vessels forming the capillary system intermediate between the arteries and the veins. 4. Relating to a capillary vessel.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Resembling hair; tubes or canals, extremely fine and minute, through which moisture ascends spontaneously, are called capillary tubes; capillary attraction, the power that porous bodies have of drawing up or sucking in moisture.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "capillary" originated from the Latin word "capillaris", which means "of or relating to hair" or "hairlike". It is derived from "capillus", meaning "hair". The term "capillary" was first used in the sense of relating to hairlike vessels or channels. It was later adopted in the field of anatomy and physiology to describe the tiny blood vessels that resemble hair strands in their size.
