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

Health officials found canisters of chemical furniture polish on a preparation table. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026

Greg Bovino allegedly throwing a gas canister in the direction of a park. —Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026

The replacement of the combustible canisters with reusable drones will produce less noise, lessen bird strikes and eliminate water quality impacts, according to the staff report. —Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026

That price includes the robovac’s OMNI Station dock, which empties its dirt bin into a bagless canister, washes its rolling mop with heated, pressurized water, and refills its reservoirs. —Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 14 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)