entry
canister
/ˈkænɪstər/A small container, especially one for storing materials
From Latin, ultimately borrowed from Ancient Greek canistr- (Basket or woven container).
from Greek kanystron "basket made
from Latin canistrum "wicker basket" for bread, fruit, flowers, etc.
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English canustyr (“basket”), a borrowing
Word Ancestry
from Greek kanystron "basket made
from Latin canistrum "wicker basket" for bread, fruit, flowers, etc.
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English canustyr (“basket”), a borrowing
Long before it held coffee, gunpowder, or tennis balls, a canister was something you could weave: the Latin canistrum meant a wicker basket, borrowed from Greek kanystron, a reed basket for bread, fruit, and flowers. In late-15th-century Middle English, canustyr still sounded like a humble basket rather than a tidy metal cylinder. The modern container sense appeared in 1711, probably helped along by the unrelated word can, whose compact metal shape pulled canister in a new direction. Then warfare gave the word another sharp edge: by 1801, canister shot meant a casing packed with small projectiles, essentially a metal basket of violence fired from a cannon. The word began with reeds and ended with pellets—proof that even a basket can enlist.
The Story
Long before it held coffee, gunpowder, or tennis balls, a canister was something you could weave: the Latin canistrum meant a wicker basket, borrowed from Greek kanystron, a reed basket for bread, fruit, and flowers. In late-15th-century Middle English, canustyr still sounded like a humble basket rather than a tidy metal cylinder. The modern container sense appeared in 1711, probably helped along by the unrelated word can, whose compact metal shape pulled canister in a new direction. Then warfare gave the word another sharp edge: by 1801, canister shot meant a casing packed with small projectiles, essentially a metal basket of violence fired from a cannon. The word began with reeds and ended with pellets—proof that even a basket can enlist.
Modern Usage
London slang, especially in southeast England, for the head
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary
Kin & Kindred
From 'canistr-'·Basket or woven container
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Etymonline
Urban Dictionary
Wiktionary