Wiktionary

potable

English edit

WOTD – 22 March 2021

Etymology edit

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English potable (“drinkable, potable”),[1] from Middle French, Old French potable (modern French potable (“drinkable, potable”)), and from its etymon Late Latin pōtābilis (“drinkable, potable”), from Latin pōtāre (“to drink”) + -bilis (suffix forming adjectives indicating a capacity or worth of being acted upon).[2] Pōtāre is the present active infinitive of pōtō (“to drink”), from Proto-Italic *pōtos, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₃- (“to drink”).

The English word is cognate with Catalan potable, Italian potabile, Spanish potable.[2]

The noun is derived from the adjective.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

potable (comparative more potable, superlative most potable)

  1. (formal) Good for drinking without fear of disease or poisoning.
    Synonyms: drinkable, drinkworthy

Coordinate terms edit

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

Noun edit

potable (plural potables)

  1. Any drinkable liquid; a beverage.
    • 1708, [John Philips], “(please specify the page)”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC:
      When solar beams / Parch thirsty human veins, the damask'd meads, / Unforc'd display ten thousand painted flow'rs / Useful in potables.

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

drinkable liquid — see beverage

References edit

  1. ^ “pō̆tāble, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 “potable, adj. and n.”, in OED Online  ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2006; “potable, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading edit

Anagrams edit

Asturian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /poˈtable/, [poˈt̪a.β̞le]

Adjective edit

potable (epicene, plural potables)

  1. potable (good for drinking)

Catalan edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

potable m or f (masculine and feminine plural potables)

  1. potable

Further reading edit

French edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Late Latin pōtābilis, from Latin potō.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

potable (plural potables)

  1. potable
  2. (colloquial) OK, passable
    Synonym: correct
    Tu penses quoi de la meuf de ton frère ? Potable, sans plus. ― What do you think about your brother's girlfriend? Alright‚ nothing more.

Further reading edit

Middle English edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Old French potable, from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /pɔˈtaːbəl/, /pɔːˈtaːbəl/

Adjective edit

potable (rare, Late Middle English)

  1. Suitable for drinking; potable.

Descendants edit

  • English: potable

References edit

Old French edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Adjective edit

potable m (oblique and nominative feminine singular potable)

  1. potable

Declension edit

Declension of potable
Number Case Masculine Feminine Neuter
Singular Subject potables potable potable
Oblique potable potable potable
Plural Subject potable potables potable
Oblique potables potables potable

Descendants edit

Spanish edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /poˈtable/ [poˈt̪a.β̞le]
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: po‧ta‧ble

Adjective edit

potable m or f (masculine and feminine plural potables)

  1. potable, drinkable

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit

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