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

The canister system is designed to handle spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste from both legacy and advanced reactors through storage, transportation, and eventual disposal. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026

Police in the lead, armed with canister launchers, wore standard BDUs (battle dress uniforms) under exoskeletal riot gear. — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

To avoid bear encounters, Fish and Wildlife recommends removing unsecured food from cars and tents, using bear-resistant food canisters or bear lockers, and regularly disposing trash. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Chuk shows the flat shelf on top for holding the stove, the tray below for storing things like plates and utensils, and the drawer on bottom for taller and deeper wares like bowls, pots and gas canisters. — New Atlas, 25 Sep. 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)