Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

decant

verb de·cant \ di-ˈkant , dē- \
|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018
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

play \ˌdē-ˌkan-ˈtā-shən\ noun

See decant defined for English-language learners

See decant defined for kids

Examples of decant in a Sentence

  1. The bottles were uncorked and the wine was decanted an hour before the meal.

Recent Examples of decant from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'decant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of decant

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

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

DECANT Defined for English Language Learners

decant

verb

  • : to pour (a liquid, especially wine) from one container into another

Medical Dictionary

decant

transitive verb de·cant \ di-ˈkant \
: to draw off (a liquid) without disturbing the sediment or the lower liquid layers
—

decantation

play \ˌdē-ˌkan-ˈtā-shən\ noun

Learn More about decant

  1. See words that rhyme with decant Nglish: Translation of decant for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up decant? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

paste

play

to beat or defeat soundly

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. ideologue 'an often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology'

  2. socialism 'a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government'

  3. uphold 'to let stand'

  4. due process 'a course of formal proceedings (as judicial proceedings)'

  5. asylum 'protection from arrest and extradition given especially to political refugees'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

decant

Test Your Vocabulary

Test Your Emoji Exceptionalism

  • test-your-emoji-exceptionalism-written-with-a-lot-of-emoji
  • What is this emoji intended to represent: 🤳
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games