nonperishable
Americanadjective
noun
Usage
What does nonperishable mean? Nonperishable is used to describe an item, usually food, that can be stored for a long time without spoiling. Such items are often simply called nonperishables.Perish is a verb that means to die, but perishable is an adjective used to describe something that decays or spoils quickly, especially food. Perishable can also be a noun—perishables are items, usually food, that need to be specially stored (like in a refrigerator) to make them last a while without spoiling, like meat and dairy products. Nonperishables, on the other hand, are things that will last a long time, like dried grains or canned foods.Example: My school is collecting nonperishable items for our food drive.
Etymology
Origin of nonperishable
First recorded in 1920–25; non- + perishable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She eats mostly the nonperishable Trader Joe’s snacks she brought from Louisiana.
From Los Angeles Times
Regional Food Bank, said they received delivery of more than 1 million pounds of nonperishable items, frozen meats and produce.
From Los Angeles Times
An emergency kit of essentials like drinking water and nonperishable food items is also a good idea.
From Seattle Times
My extended family rode out several hurricanes in Miami, including Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm in 1992, and before the season started they always had some supplies ready at home: first-aid kits, batteries, applesauce, bread, gallon jugs of water, extra bags of ice and nonperishable food that could be eaten in the aftermath of a storm, no electricity or running water needed.
From New York Times
People should seek out nonperishable foods, such as canned goods, that don’t require refrigeration.
From Seattle Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
