Leyden jar \Ley"den jar"\ (l[imac]"d'n j[aum]r"; 277). Leyden phial \Ley"den phi"al\ (f[imac]"al).(Elec.) A glass jar or bottle used to accumulate electricity. It is coated with tin foil, within and without, nearly to its top, and is surmounted by a brass knob which communicates with the inner coating, for the purpose of charging it with electricity. It is so named from having been invented in Leyden, Holland.