1630s, "pour off gently the clear liquid from a solution by tipping the vessel," originally an alchemical term, from French décanter, perhaps from Medieval Latin decanthare "to pour from the edge of a vessel," from de- "off, away" (see de-) + Medieval Latin canthus "corner, lip of a jug," from Latin cantus, canthus "iron rim around a carriage wheel" (see cant (n.2)). Related: Decanted; decanting.
