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decanter

American  
[dih-kan-ter] / dɪˈkæn tər /

noun

  • decanters
    plural
  1. a vessel, usually an ornamental glass bottle, for holding and serving wine, brandy, or the like.

  2. a bottle used for decanting.


decanter British  
/ dɪˈkæntə /

noun

  1. a stoppered bottle, usually of glass, into which a drink, such as wine, is poured for serving

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of decanter

First recorded in 1705–15; decant + -er 1

Explanation

Want an extra fancy way to serve a beverage? Put it in a decanter, an elegant glass container with a stopper. A decanter is similar to a carafe, a wide-mouthed vessel for serving liquids, except it has a narrower neck and a stopper. Particularly ornate decanters are made of cut crystal and are meant to hold wine, which some people believe should "breathe" before being poured and sipped. Decanter comes from the verb decant, "to pour," and its Medieval Latin source, decanthare, "pour from the edge of a vessel."

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Vocabulary lists containing decanter

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.

See Examples For:

From an unforgettable decanter to an adorable ottoman, these 8 items will awaken your inner interior designer.

From Los Angeles Times May 21, 2024

A bowl of his tempura udon wouldn’t be complete without a sprinkle of shichimi, which, at his dinerlike restaurant, you can find next to the salt and pepper shakers and soy sauce decanter.

From Seattle Times Oct. 15, 2023

The Cyberwhistle is in the lifestyle products section of Tesla's website, which also includes items such as $150 decanter, a $30 "S3XY" logo mug, and several diecast models of the company's vehicles.

From BBC Nov. 30, 2021

Tesla’s website offers a company-branded “handblown” decanter for $150 and a $60 umbrella with an “ergonomically designed handle.”

From New York Times Oct. 29, 2021

The mysterious decanter had been found outside the service door to the del Valle house on the same day and at the same time that the roast pig was delivered.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

On view are examples of bulbous book bindings, acid-etched vases, satin capes, parchment-covered cabinets, angular decanters, diamond-decorated cloche hats, geometric malachite brooches, stark bas-reliefs, Brancusi-faced collar ads, and boxy, black-lacquer screens.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 23, 2025

Dug sits upright on the limo’s black Corinthian leather seat, flanked by crystal liquor decanters on one side and a TV and VCR on the other.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 21, 2025

She went back to her shed and started making glasses and decanters as wedding presents for friends.

From BBC Jan. 15, 2023

Evans described first-class cabins that included fine china, liquor cabinets with crystal decanters, hair creams in ceramic jars from Paris, solid gold spectacles and Wild West clothing.

From Washington Times Dec. 1, 2022

Certainly when Slughorn, who had been busy with decanters and glasses, turned to face the room again, his eyes fell immediately upon Harry.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

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