# canister

/ˈkænəstɝ/ (US) · /kˈænɪstɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/canister
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. storage container

noun · CEFR B2

a small, strong container with a lid used for keeping dry things like tea, coffee, or flour.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. gas or chemical container

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a metal container used to hold gas or chemicals, such as the part of a gas mask that cleans the air.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. military projectile

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of shell fired from a large gun that breaks apart to scatter smaller pieces.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. the head

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Slang

a slang word for a person's head.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. to pack into a container

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to put something into a canister for storage.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- 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 EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.