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.
Many of the nonperishable goods on store shelves are first delivered to warehouses that consolidate shipments from suppliers, then sent to 42 distribution centers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Priced at less than 20 cents per box, Kraft’s newfound, nonperishable product was revered as an affordable option for Americans looking to feed their families.
From Salon ● Mar. 30, 2024
The newer ones had brought, from land, the resources handed to them by relief agencies that had visited after the flood: nonperishable foodstuffs, writing materials, books, medicine, first-aid kits.
From Slate ● Dec. 16, 2023
It’s also asking for holiday gifts — like nonperishable food or books and magazines — to distribute to clients currently living in shelters.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 5, 2023
First-aid kits, water jugs, guns, ammunition, and nonperishable canned food.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
