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

Radioactive waste will be sealed in copper canisters, packed with clay, and designed to contain deadly material safely for hundreds of thousands of years underground. —James Brooks, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026

During that, police deployed a tear gas canister that sparked a fire. —Joe Holden, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026

The MultiClean Allergen Lift-Off Pet vacuum has a design similar to the Pet Hair Eraser Lift-Off vacuum, easily converting from upright to canister modes for easier access to awkward areas. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026

Once the bag is closed off, it gets pushed into a canister, which will return to Earth with the crew, Hansen said. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 2 Apr. 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)