imperishable

American  

[im-per-i-shuh-buhl] / ɪmˈpɛr ɪ ʃə bəl /

adjective

1. not subject to decay; indestructible; enduring.

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imperishable British  

/ ɪmˈpɛrɪʃəbəl /

adjective

1. not subject to decay or deterioration

   imperishable goods

2. not likely to be forgotten

   imperishable truths

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Other Word Forms

• imperishability noun
• imperishableness noun
• imperishably adverb

Etymology

Origin of imperishable

First recorded in 1640–50; im- ² + perishable

Explanation

Anything imperishable is made to last, like a marble statue or true love. Imperishable things endure. To perish is to die. Things that are imperishable don't. You may have heard of perishable food, the kind that will go bad eventually, like fresh fruit or a ham sandwich. Imperishable foods will always be fine to eat, like a bag of dried beans. There can also be imperishable ideas and beliefs, like imperishable hope or imperishable truth. Certain heroes like James Bond seem to be imperishable, especially in the movie Never Say Die.

Example Sentences

AMC has also signed the imperishable Brooke Shields to star in another Acorn project titled “You’re Killing Me.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025

"Like Sherlock Holmes, it's an imperishable myth and, really, if anyone gives you the chance to have a go at it - you have to do it," he explains.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2024

In Mexico, far from the locus of her imperishable pain, Chaarte found moments of peace.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 7, 2024

But when we remember this time, disappointment will prove to be the imperishable theme.

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2022

He laced to his feet the sandals of imperishable gold which bore him swift as a breath of air over sea and earth.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton