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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

potable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ˈpəʊtəbəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /poː.ʈə.bᵻl/ (South-Asia)
  • /ˈpɒt-/ (Received-Pronunciation, nonstandard)
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈpoʊtəbəl/ (General-American)
  • /ˈpɑt-/ (General-American, nonstandard)
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English potable (“drinkable, potable”), 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). 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. The noun is derived from the adjective.

Meanings

  1. (formal) Good for drinking without fear of waterborne disease or poisoning.
    • The water from this river should not be considered potable without disinfection: you may be OK if you drink it raw, but you're gambling if you do so.
    • potable water

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
most potable Degree=Sup lexicographic
more potable Degree=Cmp lexicographic

Coordinates

eatworthy · eatable · comestible · edible

Deriveds

nonpotable · impotable · potabilize · potability · potable gold · potableness · unpotable

Hypernyms

consumable · swallowable · ingestible

Relateds

drinking water · tap water

Synonyms

drinkworthy · drinkable

Translations (44)

el πόσιμος (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · uk питни́й (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · cs pitný (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · sh питак (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ru питьево́й (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · nrf potabl'ye (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · de trinkbar (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · cy yfadwy (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · eo trinkebla (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · sv drickbar (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · es bebedizo (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · fa آشامیدنی (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · pl pitny (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · fi juotava (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · nl drinkbaar (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ht potab (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · es potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · gv iuoil (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ca potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · be пі́тны (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ar صالِحٌ لِلشُّرْب (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · fro potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · hi पेय (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ka სასმელად ვარგისი (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ka სასმელი (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · fi juomakelpoinen (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · cmn 可飲用的 /可饮用的 (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · la poculentus (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · it potabile (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · la pōtābilis (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · oc potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · pt potável (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · gv yn-iu (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · gl potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ast potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · sh pitak (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · hu iható (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · bg питеен (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · ro potabil (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · pdt drinkjboa (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · frm potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · fr potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · pt bebível (good for drinking — see also drinkable) · enm potable (good for drinking — see also drinkable)

potable en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈpəʊtəbəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /poː.ʈə.bᵻl/ (South-Asia)
  • /ˈpɒt-/ (Received-Pronunciation, nonstandard)
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈpoʊtəbəl/ (General-American)
  • /ˈpɑt-/ (General-American, nonstandard)
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English potable (“drinkable, potable”), 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). 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. The noun is derived from the adjective.

Meanings

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

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
potables Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

potent potable