canister

noun

can·​is·​ter ˈka-nə-stər 

variants or less commonly cannister

1

: an often cylindrical container for holding a usually specified object or substance

a film canister

2

: encased shot for close-range artillery fire

3

: a perforated metal box for gas masks with material to adsorb, filter, or detoxify airborne poisons and irritants

Synonyms

• barrel
• can
• drum
• tin

Examples of canister in a Sentence

she put the store-bought cookies in a fancy canister to make them look homemade

Recent Examples on the Web

And when it’s placed back onto the base, the debris canister is auto-emptied into the base container. —Lisa Wood Shapiro, WIRED, 7 Dec. 2024

The canister measures 28 in long by 13 in high (70 x 34 cm) and features a long, thin cutout in the middle that serves as both a mounting point and a grab handle. —New Atlas, 30 Nov. 2024

However, be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately to prevent the beetles from returning back into your home. —Marie Woodward, Hartford Courant, 9 Nov. 2024

Coffee canister: on sale for $29.99 Original price: $37.99 A coffee canister can help keep coffee fresh and flavorful by protecting it from moisture, light, and air. —Nora Colomer, Fox News, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin canistrum basket, from Greek kanastron wicker basket, from kanna reed — more at cane

First Known Use

1692, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

canister

noun

can·​is·​ter

variants also cannister

ˈkan-ə-stər 

: a small box or can for holding a dry product (as coffee, flour, or sugar)