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

Kestou filed a motion last December to dismiss the charge, arguing the fire, not his storage of the canisters, caused Salter's death. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

After that, options for food and fuel can be few and far between, so be sure to pack snacks and perhaps an extra canister of gas. — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2026

In this case, the same techniques will be used—except to carry the nuclear waste canister farther away from the surface and wellhead. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026

Crews have drilled a 6,000-foot data acquisition well and recently delivered a prototype reactor canister to the location, marking another step toward validating the underground deployment concept. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 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)