dispenser
Americannoun
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a person or thing that dispenses.
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a container, package, device, or vending machine for holding and dispensing something in small amounts, as facial tissue, paper cups, or candy.
noun
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a device, such as a vending machine, that automatically dispenses a single item or a measured quantity
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a person or thing that dispenses
Etymology
Origin of dispenser
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; dispense, -er 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It felt like a piece of my childhood died along with the actor who played Dawson Leery, but it wasn’t just a parasocial relationship that had me weeping next to the soap dispenser.
From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026
Most Americans have been hearing tales of Pentagon woe—late, expensive new aircraft carriers; an 8,000% price markup on a soap dispenser inside a C-17 bathroom.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025
In addition, customers who have a water dispenser on their refrigerator should flush the device or five minutes; make and discard three batches of ice cubes and clean the ice bin with a disinfectant.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2025
Always keep the container tightly sealed to minimize contact with air – if your dispenser bottle has an open spout, your oil will degrade faster.
From Salon • Jan. 19, 2025
Attached at the base of each one is an aerosol dispenser used for terra-forming.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
