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

Weighing in at 16 pounds, this canister cleaner is heavier than your average robot and stick vacuum. — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2026

The kids, meanwhile, took selfies, while one appeared to be holding a red canister. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026

After a few more bars, Stewart turns his back to the crowd and several aides wheel out an oxygen canister. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 21 June 2026

The system combines SpearUAV’s canister-launch architecture with Rafael’s warhead and guidance integration, producing a weapon that can be deployed by infantry as well as armor units. — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 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)