Word
canister
Phoneticscan·is·ter, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkænəstɝ/
UK/kˈænɪstɐ/
Definitions
01storage container
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a small, strong container with a lid used for keeping dry things like tea, coffee, or flour.
n. a cylindrical or rectangular vessel with a removable lid, typically used for storing dry household goods.
“She kept the loose tea leaves in a silver canister on the kitchen shelf.”
“The kitchen was organized with matching ceramic canisters for flour, sugar, and coffee, each sealed with an airtight rubber gasket.”
02gas or chemical container
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technology Technical
n. a metal container used to hold gas or chemicals, such as the part of a gas mask that cleans the air.
n. a pressurized or specialized metal receptacle for chemicals, gases, or the filtration component of a protective mask.
“The hikers carried a small gas canister to use with their camping stove.”
“The technician replaced the spent carbon canister in the filtration system to ensure the air remained free of contaminants.”
03military projectile
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical
n. a type of shell fired from a large gun that breaks apart to scatter smaller pieces.
n. a short-range antipersonnel projectile consisting of a metal casing filled with submissiles that disperse upon firing.
“The museum displayed an old canister shot used in the 19th century.”
“Historical accounts describe the devastating effect of canister rounds when deployed against advancing infantry at close range.”
04the head
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Slang
n. a slang word for a person's head.
n. a slang term referring to the human head.
“He took a nasty knock to his canister when he walked into the low beam.”
“The old boxer joked about the many hits his canister had taken over his long career in the ring.”
Synonyms
05to pack into a container
C2 · Proficiency Technical
v. to put something into a canister for storage.
v. to pack or seal a substance into a canister.
“The factory machines canister the tea leaves immediately after they are dried.”
“The process requires the volatile chemicals to be canisterized under vacuum conditions to prevent oxidation.”
Real-World Examples
“I used water and a blender bottle to prepare the powdered options per the suggested serving on the back of the bag or canister.” “F or a while, on my kitchen counter, next to the jars of rice and flour, there was another canister made of black plastic, much larger than the others.” “Some of it survived the war, buried in canisters deep underground.” Etymology
From Middle English canustyr (“basket”), a borrowing from Latin canistrum. Doublet of canaster and knaster. * (metal receptacle): Through influence of unrelated can. * (projectile): Short for canister shot, so called for its casing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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