decant

verb

de·​cant di-ˈkant How to pronounce decant (audio)
dē-
decanted; decanting; decants

transitive verb

1
: to draw off (a liquid) without disturbing the sediment or the lower liquid layers
2
: to pour (a liquid, such as wine) from one vessel into another
decanted the wine before the meal
3
: to pour out, transfer, or unload as if by pouring
I was decanted from the car …Ursula G. Bower
decantation noun

Examples of decant in a Sentence

The bottles were uncorked and the wine was decanted an hour before the meal.
Recent Examples on the Web About 40 minutes later, Lacy decanted the stars at Palm Springs Airport, and pointed the Lear’s nose toward Edwards Air Force Base—the day wasn’t over for Clay or for Christina II. Eric Tegler, Popular Mechanics, 21 July 2023 Because of the dedicated design, these glasses are best suited to bold red wines that should be swirled and decanted. Laura Denby, Peoplemag, 16 July 2023 Authorities decanted the populations of crowded cities into vast, new suburban housing tracts with modern conveniences, long straight streets, and wide sidewalks (unused, of course, in the hot local climate), in the hope that suburban living would depoliticize the citizenry. Pascal Menoret, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021 Other pros insist the time and financial investment of decanting is worthwhile for long-term success. Jamie Killin, Anchorage Daily News, 11 June 2023 Generally though red wines benefit most from decanting. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 11 May 2023 Try decanting your cleaning supplies into bigger, prettier containers or installing smart shelving to corral pots, pans, and clothing. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 25 May 2023 And then there’s a chic hideaway coffee bar curated by designer Andi Morse, who is an enthusiastic advocate of decanting—i.e., removing your dry goods from their original packaging into individual (and aesthetically pleasing) containers. Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 21 Apr. 2023 It’s accompanied by a 150mL refill bottle, which can be seamlessly deposited in the original vessel by simply turning it upside-down over the flacon’s mouth, decanting the fragrance without losing a single drop. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin decantare, from Latin de- + Medieval Latin cantus edge, from Latin, iron ring round a wheel — more at cant entry 4

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decant was in 1633

Dictionary Entries Near decant

Cite this Entry

“Decant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decant. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

decant

verb
de·​cant di-ˈkant How to pronounce decant (audio)
: to pour from one container into another
decantation noun

Medical Definition

decant

transitive verb
de·​cant di-ˈkant How to pronounce decant (audio)
: to draw off (a liquid) without disturbing the sediment or the lower liquid layers
decantation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decant

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