dispenser
Americannoun
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a person or thing that dispenses.
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a container, package, device, or vending machine for holding and dispensing something in small amounts, as facial tissue, paper cups, or candy.
noun
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a device, such as a vending machine, that automatically dispenses a single item or a measured quantity
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a person or thing that dispenses
Etymology
Origin of dispenser
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at dispense, -er 1
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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.
A water dispenser issue requiring the crew to bag water as a precaution.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
Most Americans have been hearing tales of Pentagon woe—late, expensive new aircraft carriers; an 8,000% price markup on a soap dispenser inside a C-17 bathroom.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025
On a more intimate scale, Gemma and Cady’s new Bay Area rental is a smart house where everything is a potential poltergeist, from the ice dispenser to the vacuum.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2025
Always keep the container tightly sealed to minimize contact with air – if your dispenser bottle has an open spout, your oil will degrade faster.
From Salon • Jan. 19, 2025
Attached at the base of each one is an aerosol dispenser used for terra-forming.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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.
