What does "decant" mean?
A portion of perfume unofficially sold in a smaller bottle.
Decant
/dəˈkænt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A portion of perfume unofficially sold in a smaller bottle.
- Grammar: decant is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: pour out, aerating wine, bail, bleed.
- Useful contrasts: leave sediment, retain sediment, retain solids.
- Usage evidence: After washing, the insoluble lime soap is decomposed with hot dilute sulphuric acid. The melted fatty acids thus rise as an oil to the surface, when they are decanted.
How to use "decant"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "decant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "decant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "decant" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "decant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "decant" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "pour out" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "decant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A portion of perfume unofficially sold in a smaller bottle.
"In addition to decants, minis, and used bottles of vintage, perfume nips are a fun way to try out vintage, and they seem to be all over the Internet."
Verb
- 1 To pour off (a liquid) gently, so as not to disturb the sediment. transitive
"After washing, the insoluble lime soap is decomposed with hot dilute sulphuric acid. The melted fatty acids thus rise as an oil to the surface, when they are decanted."
- 2 pour out gradually, so as to separate out sediment wordnet
- 3 To pour from one vessel into another. transitive
"to decant wine"
- 4 To flow. archaic, intransitive
"Swincombe, formerly Swan-combe, runs to the north of the ridge, and has the sources of its river in the Fox Tor mires and near Childe's Tomb. It runs north-east, and then abruptly passes north to decant into the West Dart."
- 5 To remove (a clone or other artificially-gestated baby) from its chamber, vat, or artificial womb.
"“We also predestine and condition. We decant our babies as socialized human beings, as Alphas or Epsilons, as future sewage workers or future …” He was going to say “future World controllers,” but correcting himself, said “future Directors of Hatcheries,” instead."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To rehouse people while their buildings are being refurbished or rebuilt.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
leave sedimentretain sedimentretain solids
Example
"After washing, the insoluble lime soap is decomposed with hot dilute sulphuric acid. The melted fatty acids thus rise as an oil to the surface, when they are decanted."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "decant"?
Common synonyms include: pour out, aerating wine, bail, bleed, blow out, broach.
How do you use "decant" in a sentence?
After washing, the insoluble lime soap is decomposed with hot dilute sulphuric acid. The melted fatty acids thus rise as an oil to the surface, when they are decanted.
How do you pronounce "decant"?
Pronounced /dəˈkænt/.
Etymology
From French décanter, from Medieval Latin dēcanthāre, from dē- + canthus (“beak of a cup or jug”).