dispenser

D2I1S1P3E1N1S1E1R1
/dɪˈspɛnsə/

noun

Something or someone that dispenses things.

“a toilet-paper dispenser”

OriginOld French despenseor ← Latin dispensator →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

noundispenser (plural dispensers)

plural dispensers

  1. Something or someone that dispenses things.

    While we know – because the script tells us so – that the people we are watching are in love and in pain and in trouble, they never come across as more than dispensers of sparkling aperçus.

    2014 October 30, Ben Brantley, “When the head leads the heart: 'The Real Thing,' With Ewan McGregor and Maggie Gyllenhaal, opens on Broadway [print version: When the witty head is far ahead of the heart: Maggie Gyllenhaal and Ewan McGregor star in revival of 'Real Thing', International New York Times, 4 November 2014, p. 9]”, in The New York Times
    1. An object used to dispense other items.

      a toilet-paper dispenser

    2. A person who makes up prescriptions, such as an optician or pharmacist.

Origin

  1. Latindispensator
  2. Old Frenchdespenseor
  3. Englishdispenser

From Anglo-Norman dispensour, from Old French despenseor, from Latin dispensator. By surface analysis, dispense + -er.

More words from Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan dispensador
  • dispensadorobject used to dispense other items
Danish dispenser, farmaceut
  • dispenserobject used to dispense other items
  • farmaceutperson who makes up prescriptions
Finnish jakelulaite, annostelija
  • jakelulaiteobject used to dispense other items
  • annostelijaobject used to dispense other items
French distributeur, dévidoir
  • distributeurobject used to dispense other items
  • dévidoirobject used to dispense other items
  • dérouleurobject used to dispense other items
German Abroller, Austeiler
  • Abrollerobject used to dispense other items
  • Austeilerobject used to dispense other items
  • Spenderobject used to dispense other items
  • Verteilerobject used to dispense other items
Greek διανεμητής
  • διανεμητής (dianemitís)object used to dispense other items
Hungarian adagoló
  • adagolóobject used to dispense other items
Irish riarthóir
  • riarthóirobject used to dispense other items
Italian distributore, erogatore
  • distributoreobject used to dispense other items
  • erogatoreobject used to dispense other items
Norwegian Bokmål dispenser
  • dispenserobject used to dispense other items
Polish dozownik
  • dozownikobject used to dispense other items
Romanian distribuitor, dispensator
  • distribuitorobject used to dispense other items
  • dispensatorobject used to dispense other items
Russian доза́тор, автома́т
  • доза́тор (dozátor)object used to dispense other items
  • автома́т (avtomát)object used to dispense other items
Spanish dispensador
  • dispensadorobject used to dispense other items
Swedish utdelare, fördelare
  • utdelareobject used to dispense other items
  • fördelareobject used to dispense other items
  • dosaobject used to dispense other items

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

derpiness
Cite this entry
APA

dispenser. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispenser

MLA

“dispenser.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispenser. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dispenser,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispenser.

Source: dispenser on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.