What do you call the container that looks like a ‘Pringles bottle’?

As Sven Yargs suggests, you eat a can of Pringles, or a tube of Pringles.

Bottle is definitely not a suitable word here. A bottle is something that has a narrow opening, and would typically be used to contain fluid.

A glass or plastic container with a narrow neck, used for storing drinks or other liquids: he opened the bottle of beer

Oxford dictionaries


Although that particular object is most often described as a can of Pringles, I'm going to go out on a limb and argue that this shape is more often called a cylinder.

A can is generally short, may be squat, and is usually made of metal. A cylinder is long and narrow with no default construction material assumed.

If you wanted Pringles, can is the right word. If you want a generic container like the one shown, cylinder will work better. As choster mentions below, a canister is often used for a cylinder that is used for food storage.

And also, this is sometimes called a sleeve of Pringles. You can google it; here's an example from QuickMeme.


The answer to your question is "can." (Thanks Mary-Lou.)

Here are two of many answers I got when I Googled, "other uses for Pringles cans":

22 Outstanding Ways to Re-use Pringles Cans:

http://www.chasinggreen.org/article/22-outstanding-ways-re-use-pringles-cans/

Pringles-Can Mods:

http://walyou.com/pringles-can-mods/

There are dozens of others. The use of a Pringles can as an antenna is my favorite. Have fun!


There are several options, but this is best called a canister.

A usually cylindrical storage container, especially: a. A box or can of thin metal or plastic used for holding dry foodstuffs or cooking ingredients, such as flour or sugar. -http://www.thefreedictionary.com/canister

It's a bit more descriptive than can, which is arguably correct, but which more often describes a can such as canned soup or other wet materials comes in, made of heavier material. Consider also that it's perfectly possible to ask for a "cardboard canister," while a "cardboard can" sounds like a contradiction in terms.

This is not to say you would typically ask for a "canister of Pringles," but rather if you wanted to identify the container independent of the contents, you'd be more likely to get what you wanted with "canister" than "can."