Wiktionary

potable

English

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WOTD – 22 March 2021

Etymology

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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

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Adjective

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potable (comparative more potable, superlative most potable)

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

Coordinate terms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Noun

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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

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Translations

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drinkable liquid — see beverage

References

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  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

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Anagrams

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Asturian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

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potable (epicene, plural potables)

  1. potable (good for drinking)

Catalan

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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potable m or f (masculine and feminine plural potables)

  1. potable

Further reading

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French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Late Latin pōtābilis, from Latin potō.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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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

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Middle English

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Old French potable, from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

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potable (rare, Late Middle English)

  1. Suitable for drinking; potable.

Descendants

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  • English: potable

References

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Old French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Adjective

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potable m (oblique and nominative feminine singular potable)

  1. potable

Declension

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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

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Spanish

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

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potable m or f (masculine and feminine plural potables)

  1. potable, drinkable

Derived terms

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Further reading

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