canastern.

Etymology: Probably < Dutch kanaster, †canaster (1775 as knaster ; compare knaster n.), specific semantic development of kanaster reed basket (1615 as canaster ) < either Portuguese canastro reed basket (16th cent.) or perhaps Spanish canastro reed basket (although this is first attested slightly later: 1617 or earlier), both ultimately < ancient Greek κάναστρον (see canister n.). The tobacco is so called on account of the fact that it was formerly transported in reed baskets. Compare German †Canaster denoting this type of tobacco (1725 or earlier; the now usual German form is Knaster knaster n.). Compare earlier canister n.With canaster tobacco compare German †Canastertaback (1748 or earlier), Dutch kanastertabak (1755 as canassers tabak ), French †tabac de kanaster (1765). It is unclear whether the following earlier quot. shows the same sense; the proximity to tobacco makes it tempting to see this as denoting a variety of tobacco, but if so it antedates such use in any language (canaster is common as a variant of canister n. in this period, but normally as a count noun):1670 J. Ogilby America iii. vii. 556 He Engag'd with several Spanish Men of War and took them, besides a great number of Prizes, in one of which he found such abundance of Copper, Indigo, Money, Canaster, Tobacco, and Piece-Goods, that [etc.].