ampulla
Meaning of ampulla: An ampulla is a localized, sac-like widening found along certain ducts or canals in the body, forming a distinct anatomical landmark.
Definition of ampulla
An ampulla is a small, flask-shaped or sac-like dilation found along the course of a duct or canal in the body. This widened segment interrupts the otherwise narrower passageway and often serves as a functional or structural landmark at that location.
Several structures in the body are named using this term, including the ampulla of Vater, where the bile duct and pancreatic duct join before emptying into the small intestine, and the ampulla of the fallopian tube, the widened outer portion where fertilization typically occurs. Each ampulla is specific to the duct or canal in which it is found.
Because the term describes a shape and location shared by several unrelated structures, its meaning depends on the full anatomical name in which it appears.
Used in a sentence
The imaging identified a stone lodged near the ampulla of Vater.
Good to know
The word ampulla by itself does not identify a specific structure, since it is used to name distinct, unrelated widened segments in different organ systems, such as the biliary tract and the fallopian tube.
Word origin
Where “ampulla” comes from
From Latin ampulla, meaning "a small flask or bottle."