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 team at Better Homes & Gardens has tested hundreds of vacuums over the years—upright vacuums, canister vacuums, cordless vacuums, and more. —Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2025

This old-fashioned instrument relied on a hand crank, as well as an outside metal canister that contained ice and rock salt to freeze its contents of milk, cream, sugar, and mix-ins. —Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025

Now, the new vitrification facility, a US$10-billion engineering project built to immobilize that high-level waste in glass, has turned its first 5,500 liters into inert, permanent canisters. —New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2025

Each spray canister holds 6.7 ounces, while the eau de toilette is packaged in a 1.7-oz. bottle. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 12 Dec. 2025

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)