canister

[ kan-uh-ster ]

noun

1. a small box or jar, often one of a kitchen set, for holding tea, coffee, flour, and sugar.
2. Also called canister shot. case shot.
3. the part of a gas mask containing the neutralizing substances through which poisoned air is filtered.

canister

/ ˈkænɪstə /

noun

1. a container, usually made of metal, in which dry food, such as tea or coffee, is stored
2. formerly
   1. a type of shrapnel shell for firing from a cannon
   2. Also calledcanister shotcase shot the shot or shrapnel packed inside this

Word History and Origins

Origin of canister¹

1670–80; < Latin canistrum wicker basket < Greek kánastron, derivative of kánna reed ( cane ), with -astron, variant of -tron suffix of instrument (probably from verbal derivatives, as stégastron covering, from stegázein to cover)

Word History and Origins

Origin of canister¹

C17: from Latin canistrum basket woven from reeds, from Greek kanastron, from kanna reed, cane ¹

Example Sentences

As law enforcement moved protesters off the Capitol steps with flash bangs and canisters that released irritants, several demonstrators charged the officers.

From Washington Post

Amazon’s latest Echo looks markedly different—like an oversize shot put rather than the canister design of its predecessor.

From Fortune

Lindsay Krall, a geochemist who researches nuclear waste burial at Stanford University, worries that the company’s canisters wouldn’t be buried deep enough to prevent waste from leaking into the biosphere.

From MIT Technology Review

In January 2019, Deep Isolation proved that canisters could not only be sent underground but also retrieved, should the DOE manage to create a permanent repository elsewhere at some later point and want to transfer material there.

From MIT Technology Review

The waste would be stored in canisters, which would make it easy to retrieve and move once a permanent repository is finally decided upon.

From MIT Technology Review

On another, Garrison said he handed a doctor a bottle of wine in a canister packed with $100 bills.

From The Daily Beast

The idea is fairly simple: take a sealed metal canister and fill it with radio waves, which are a low-energy form of light.

From The Daily Beast

We were filming the ceasefire line when some jerk threw a teargas canister in the air.

From The Daily Beast

When they got a clear shot, they fired a teargas canister directly at his upper body.

From The Daily Beast

Or Mustafa Tamimi, who died when a soldier shot a tear gas canister directly at his face from only a few yards' distance.

From The Daily Beast

The reveillée of the sleeping Mexicans was the discharge of our two field-pieces loaded with canister.

From Project Gutenberg

This time they were not met by the cavalrymen alone, but the cannon belched forth its deadly charge of canister in their faces.

From Project Gutenberg

Quick as thought, the two cannon were run forward and a storm of canister swept the bushes.

From Project Gutenberg

The gunners at the batteries were quick to respond, and sent grape and canister across the stream.

From Project Gutenberg

Birney wheeled his batteries into position, and opened with canister, and the Rebels fled to the shelter of the woods.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bag
• bottle
• bowl
• box
• bucket
• can
• capsule
• carton
• crate
• dish
• jar
• jug
• kettle
• package
• packet
• pail
• pot
• pouch
• sack
• storage