decant
Americanverb (used with object)
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to pour (wine or other liquid) gently so as not to disturb the sediment.
-
to pour (a liquid) from one container to another.
verb
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to pour (a liquid, such as wine) from one container to another, esp without disturbing any sediment
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(tr) to rehouse (people) while their homes are being rebuilt or refurbished
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have decantedperfect
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has decantedperfect 3rd person singular
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is decantingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been decantingperfect progressive
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are decantingprogressive
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has been decantingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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decantingparticiple
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am decantingprogressive 1st person singular
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decantssingular 3rd person
Past
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had decantedperfect
-
had been decantingperfect progressive
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decantedsimple
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were decantingprogressive plural
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decantedparticiple
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was decantingprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of decant
1625–35; < Medieval Latin dēcanthāre, equivalent to Latin dē- de- + Medieval Latin canth ( us ) spout, rim of a vessel ( Latin: iron band round a wheel < Greek kánthos corner of the eye, tire) + -āre infinitive suffix
Explanation
The verb decant means "to pour." Kids moving water back and forth between two cups, your dad pouring a bucket of soapy water in the sink, or a wine expert emptying a bottle of wine into a fancy glass container — all of them are decanting liquids. When you decant, pronounced "dee-CANT," something by slowly pouring it from one bottle to another, you may feel a little bit like a mad scientist or an alchemist. That image would be appropriate, since early on decant was used by alchemists to describe the process of separating a liquid from a sediment by careful pouring. Today, wine lovers do just that — decanting wine to avoid any solid bits — but pouring any liquid can be described as decanting.
Vocabulary lists containing decant
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Hunting by Stars
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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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.
But here’s the little trick that makes it feel thoughtful rather than “I just grabbed this on the way in”: decant it.
From Salon • Dec. 2, 2025
The rapid "decant of services" meant the nine-bed ICU was given a temporary new home in the space previously occupied by eye theatre.
From BBC • Feb. 6, 2025
So don’t let the modest price fool you — crack open the screw cap a few hours before dinner, or better yet, decant it and let it come to life while you cook.
From Washington Post • Feb. 16, 2023
I poured coffee grounds from a red can into a pot of boiling water, waited to decant cowboy coffee, and thought about how to lose the fox.
From Salon • Oct. 22, 2022
To me these medi�val stories are beautiful, and I have striven to decant them from one language into another with as little loss as may be.
From Aucassin & Nicolette And Other Mediaeval Romances and Legends by Mason, Eugene
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.
