canister
n. countablen. a strong container with a lid, usually made of metal or plastic, used for holding dry things like tea or coffee.
n. a cylindrical or rectangular container, typically made of metal, used for storing dry goods or pressurized gases.
She keeps the flour in a large metal canister on the counter.
The hikers carried a small pressurized canister of fuel to use with their portable camping stove.
Archaeologists discovered a sealed lead canister containing several well-preserved scrolls that had been hidden in the cave for centuries.
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.
Often used to refer specifically to containers for food storage or industrial gas.