decanter

American  

[dih-kan-ter] / dɪˈkæn tər /

noun

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

2. a bottle used for decanting.

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decanter British  

/ dɪˈkæntə /

noun

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

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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."

Example Sentences

After producing a ceiling lamp with a bulbous glass filament that rises from the center to evoke a water drop splashing in a pool, Beacon Custom Lighting followed with its Pond decanter.

From Seattle Times • May 28, 2024

In the kitchen behind Meghan we can see elegant bowls and a glass decanter.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2024

While cleaning camp, my partner even found a desecrated crystal decanter filled with urine.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2023

“Someone dropped these off this morning,” Douglas Heller, an owner of the gallery with his brother Michael, said, holding up a white decanter and blue pitcher.

From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2022

E & J, by contrast, had a far more ornate bottle: more squat, like a decanter, with smoked glass, foil wrapping around the spout, and a dark, richly textured label.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• carafe
• flask
• jug