COMESTIBLE

edible, comestible, eatable

(adjective) suitable for use as food

comestible, edible, eatable, pabulum, victual, victuals

(noun) any substance that can be used as food

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

comestible (comparative more comestible, superlative most comestible)

Suitable to be eaten; edible. [From 15th c.]

Usage notes

Relatively formal; edible is the usual term, while eatable is rather informal.

Synonyms

• (suitable to be eaten): eatable, edible, esculent

Coordinate terms

• drinkable, potable

Noun

comestible (plural comestibles)

(chiefly, in the plural) Anything that can be eaten; food. [From 19th c.]

Synonyms: foodstuff, sustenance, victuals, Thesaurus:food

Usage notes

Rather formal; the simple term food is far more common. Similarly, the term beverage often serves as a formal equivalent of the more common drink. In both cases, the more elevated term (comestible, beverage) is of French origin, while the plain term (food, drink) is of Old English origin, and this stylistic difference by origin is common; see list of English words with dual French and Anglo-Saxon variations.

Coordinate terms

• beverage (relatively formal term for something intended to be drunk)

Source: Wiktionary


Co*mes"ti*ble, a. Etym: [F. comestible, fr. L. comesus, comestus, p. p. pf comedere to eat; com- + edere to eat.]

Definition: Suitable to be eaten; eatable; esculent. Some herbs are most comestible. Sir T. Elyot.

Co*mes"ti*ble, n.

Definition: Something suitable to be eaten; -- commonly in the plural. Thackeray.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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CORRECTION

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Coffee Trivia

Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.

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