A pill is a small, solid piece of medicine that you swallow whole. Pills come in different shapes and sizes: some are tiny dots, others are large ovals, and many are round like little buttons. Doctors prescribe pills to treat everything from headaches to serious diseases. Some pills work quickly, like pain relievers that help within an hour. Others, like vitamins, work slowly over time to keep your body healthy.

Taking pills correctly matters. Some need to be taken with food, others on an empty stomach. Some you take once a day, others multiple times. Pharmacists put detailed instructions on pill bottles for this reason.

Pills make medicine portable and easy to store. Modern pills often have special coatings that make them easier to swallow or help them dissolve at just the right time.

The phrase a bitter pill to swallow means accepting something unpleasant but necessary, like admitting you made a mistake.