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

In a statement shared with The Baltimore Sun, a spokesperson for the department said that the pepper spray discharge was from the accidental triggering of a keychain canister and impacted at least 11 of the 31 students on board. —Brian Carlton, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2026

His tactics, including throwing gas canisters into crowds of protesters, led to a lawsuit in Chicago and clashes with other administration officials. —Julia Ainsley, NBC news, 16 Mar. 2026

Luis was dressed in his hospital pyjamas; his pained breathing fogged his mask while the oxygen canister gurgled and whirred. —Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026

The teams barely missed early on, playing at such a pace that Kent had mini pickle juice canisters on the bench to help prevent cramping. —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 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)