pellet

IPA/ˈpelɪt/
KK[pˈɛlət]IPA/ˈpelɪt/

pellet — noun

  • pelletsingular
  • pelletsplural

1. A tiny ball or short cylinder formed from a substance such as food, medicine, pl

1.名詞B1
釋義

A tiny ball or short cylinder formed from a substance such as food, medicine, plastic, or fuel, often made by a machine.

例句

The farmer bought a bag of grass pellets as winter feed for the goats.

collocation: grass pellets / feed pellets

Jiwoo took a vitamin pellet from the bottle and swallowed it with water.

countable noun with material modifier: vitamin pellet

同義詞
  • ball

    More general; pellet is smaller and more regularly shaped.

  • granule

    Even smaller than a pellet; pellet is usually visible and formed intentionally.

  • pill

    Used only for medicine; pellet can refer to any substance.

  • bead

    Usually decorative or made of liquid that hardens; pellet is solid-formed.

文法句型

pellet + of + noun

用法筆記

Frequently used with a preceding noun that describes the material (feed pellets, plastic pellets, wood pellets).

常見錯誤

❌I took a pellet of bread from the loaf.
✅I tore a piece of bread from the loaf.
💡'pellet' describes a small manufactured ball, not a piece torn or cut from a larger item.

2. The solid, small round or oval waste droppings produced by certain animals such

2.名詞B2
釋義

The solid, small round or oval waste droppings produced by certain animals such as rabbits, rodents, birds, or deer.

例句

The rabbit left small brown pellets across the patio after its morning run.

collocation: rabbit pellets

Kemi brought owl pellets to class so her students could learn how owls digest food.

collocation: owl pellets — regurgitated, not droppings

同義詞
  • droppings

    More general term for animal waste.

  • scat

    Scientific term for wild animal droppings; less common in everyday speech.

  • dung

    Usually for larger farm or wild animals; pellet is for smaller animals.

文法句型

[animal] + pellets

用法筆記

For rabbits and rodents, pellets are droppings; for owls and other birds of prey, pellets are regurgitated balls of indigestible material (bones, fur, feathers).

常見錯誤

❌The dog left pellets in the garden.
✅The dog left droppings / waste in the garden.
💡'pellet' for animal waste is used mainly for small mammals (rabbits, rodents) and birds of prey, not dogs or cats.

3. A tiny metal sphere fired from an air gun, shotgun, or similar weapon as ammunit

3.名詞B1
釋義

A tiny metal sphere fired from an air gun, shotgun, or similar weapon as ammunition.

例句

Stefan loaded his air rifle with a lead pellet and aimed at the tin can.

countable: a single pellet

The hunter's shotgun scattered metal pellets across the clay target in one shot.

plural: dozens of pellets

同義詞
  • shot

    Collective term for multiple pellets fired from a shotgun.

  • bullet

    Larger and designed for handguns and rifles; pellet is smaller and used in air guns.

  • slug

    A single large projectile for a shotgun; pellet is much smaller.

文法句型

pellet + gun / rifle

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: a gun pellet is always metallic and designed for firing. Distinguish from bullet: bullets are larger, single-projectile ammunition for firearms; pellets are small and often fired in multiples (shotgun) or singly (air rifle).

常見錯誤

❌The soldier loaded a pellet into his rifle.
✅The soldier loaded a bullet / a magazine into his rifle.
💡Modern military rifles use bullets or cartridges, not pellets. 'Pellet' is for air guns and shotguns.