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 of canister

• barrel
• tin
• drum
• bucket

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

Its canisters must accommodate the interceptor without compromising the missile during launch. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026

Once on the jail grounds, prosecutors claimed, Meiser hid the canisters in the trunk of a sheriff’s patrol car. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

From acrylic canisters for the pantry to the right under-the-sink storage in a bathroom, organization containers are useful. — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2026

At some military gates, people passed sacks of flour and gas canisters through the gates, while an elderly man pushed his wife in a wheelchair through an opening beside one of them. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for canister

• banister

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)