pellet
UK: ˈpelɪt | US: ˈpelɪt
n. a small, rounded, compressed mass of a substance (e.g., food, medicine, or material)
n. a small projectile or piece of shot
n. a small, solid piece of animal feces (e.g., rabbit pellets)
The word pellet traces back to Latin pila (ball), which evolved into Old French pelote (a ball of thread or yarn). The diminutive suffix -et was added in French to emphasize smallness, giving pelet (later pellet in English). Originally used for small balls of material (e.g., wax, medicine), it later expanded to projectiles and animal feces due to their rounded shape.
The rabbit left tiny pellets on the grass.
The machine compresses sawdust into fuel pellets.
The hunter loaded his gun with lead pellets.
The doctor prescribed vitamin D pellets for the child.
The artist molded clay pellets into beads.