potable

English

WOTD – 22 March 2021

Etymology

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

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈpəʊtəbəl/, (non-standard) /ˈpɒt-/
  • (file)
  • (file)
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈpoʊtəbəl/, (non-standard) /ˈpɑt-/
  • Homophone: pottable (non-standard)
  • Hyphenation: pot‧a‧ble

Adjective

potable (comparative more potable, superlative most potable)

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

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

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

Translations

References

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

Further reading

Anagrams

Asturian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

potable (epicene, plural potables)

  1. potable (good for drinking)

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

potable m or f (masculine and feminine plural potables)

  1. potable

Further reading

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin pōtābilis, from Latin potō.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pɔ.tabl/
  • (file)

Adjective

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

Middle English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French potable, from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

potable (rare, Late Middle English)

  1. Suitable for drinking; potable.

Descendants

  • English: potable

References

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Adjective

potable m (oblique and nominative feminine singular potable)

  1. potable

Declension

Descendants

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pōtābilis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

potable m or f (masculine and feminine plural potables)

  1. potable, drinkable

Derived terms

Further reading

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