edible

edible — adjective

1. If a substance or plant is edible, you can safely eat it because it will not poi

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

If a substance or plant is edible, you can safely eat it because it will not poison you or cause you any harm.

Example

Shanti checked that the mushrooms were edible before adding them to the soup.

collocation: edible mushrooms

The hikers learned which wild plants were edible and which ones to avoid.

collocation: edible plants

Common collocations
  • edible mushrooms
  • edible plants
  • edible flowers
  • edible items
  • edible products
Synonyms
  • eatable

    less common and more informal; 'edible' is the standard modern choice in most contexts

  • comestible

    very formal or technical; rarely used in everyday conversation

  • safe

    broader meaning — a food can be safe to eat without being described as 'edible' in the same way

Antonyms
  • inedible

    the direct opposite; used when something cannot be eaten safely

  • poisonous

    specifically means containing toxins, which is one reason something may be inedible

  • toxic

    emphasises chemical harm rather than simply being unfit for eating

Usage Note

Commonly used in warnings or labels to separate food items from non-food products such as cosmetics or cleaning supplies.

Common Mistakes

This mushroom is edible to eat.
This mushroom is edible.
The word 'edible' already means safe to eat, so adding 'to eat' is unnecessary repetition.

edible — noun

Word family

  • edibility
    nounC1
  • inedible
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Edible is the standard modern term for describing something that is safe to eat. Eatable is far less common today and can sound old-fashioned or mildly humorous — some speakers use it for food that is simply acceptable in taste rather than safe. Comestible belongs to formal or technical writing (for example, on a nutrition label or in a regulatory document) and would strike most people as overly stiff in conversation. Stick with edible for everyday use: 'These mushrooms are edible' is natural; 'These mushrooms are eatable' sounds slightly odd; and 'These mushrooms are comestible' sounds absurdly formal.

edible ↗eatablecomestible

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Edible comes from the Latin word edibilis, meaning 'eatable,' which in turn comes from edere, meaning 'to eat.' The word entered English around the early 1600s and has remained the standard term for 'safe to eat' ever since.