canner: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal for industrial meaning; Informal for frugal/collector meaning.
Quick answer
What does “canner” mean?
A person or company that preserves food in cans.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person or company that preserves food in cans; a factory or machine for canning food.
A person who is extremely frugal or who collects and redeems discarded beverage containers for deposit money (chiefly US informal).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The industrial sense is understood in both. The informal sense ('a person who collects cans for deposit') is almost exclusively American, linked to 'bottle deposit' schemes common in some US states but not in the UK.
Connotations
UK: Neutral/industrial. US: Neutral/industrial OR informal, potentially negative (poverty, scrounging).
Frequency
Low frequency in general speech. Higher frequency in industrial/manufacturing contexts. The informal US sense is regional.
Grammar
How to Use “canner” in a Sentence
[canner] of [food product: plural nouns][nationality/place] cannerVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “canner” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The factory will canner the seasonal produce.
- We canner our own jams.
American English
- The plant will canner the beans next week.
- They canner vegetables in the autumn.
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable]
American English
- [Not applicable]
adjective
British English
- [Not standard; use 'canning' as in 'canning industry']
American English
- [Not standard; use 'canning' as in 'canning process']
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The canner reported record profits after a strong tuna season.
Academic
The study examined the environmental impact of a major West Coast salmon canner.
Everyday
My grandfather worked at the tomato canner down by the river.
Technical
The new high-speed canner operates at 1200 units per minute.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “canner”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “canner”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “canner”
- Using 'canner' to mean 'a can' itself. Confusing 'canner' (person/machine) with 'cannery' (factory building).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A 'canner' is a person, company, or machine involved in canning. A 'cannery' is the factory or building where canning takes place.
Rarely and non-standardly. The standard verb is 'to can'. Using 'canner' as a verb is considered dialectal or jargon.
It is a recognised informal term in American English, particularly in regions with container deposit laws ('bottle bills'), but it is not universally common.
Both understand the industrial meaning. Only American English uses the informal meaning of a person who collects discarded cans/bottles for their deposit value.
A person or company that preserves food in cans.
Canner is usually formal for industrial meaning; informal for frugal/collector meaning. in register.
Canner: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkænə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkænər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific to this noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CAN, then add -ER for a person who makes or fills it: CAN + ER = CANNER.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR PRESERVATION (industrial); SCRAP COLLECTOR FOR SURVIVAL (informal US).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'canner' most likely to have a negative connotation?