perishable

[per-i-shuh-buhl]

adjective

1. subject to decay, ruin, or destruction.

   perishable fruits and vegetables.

noun

1. Usually perishables. something perishable, especially food.

perishable

/ ˈpɛrɪʃəbəl /

adjective

1. liable to rot or wither

noun

1. (often plural) a perishable article, esp food

Other Word Forms

• perishability noun
• perishableness noun
• perishably adverb
• unperishable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of perishable¹

First recorded in 1605–15; perish + -able

Example Sentences

“What we really notice is that sometimes people use our perishable business as a way to supplement a family tradition of recipes,” said spokesperson Kendall Coleman.

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What’s more, she said, when people feel unsure about their finances, highly perishable items such as fresh, healthy food are often the first things sacrificed because they can be more expensive.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She’s spent her whole life being cared for by android robots while her parents are away, and stockpiling perishable resources and doomsday goods for when wildfires become too widespread to ignore.

Read more on Salon

As part of that effort, the company created a program known as Project Fusion, according to people familiar with the matter, which entails Whole Foods workers fulfilling certain perishable orders placed on Amazon.com.

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More Americans are turning to generic brands and stretching out perishable goods as economic concerns creep up the income ladder, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said.

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When To Use

What does perishable mean?

Perishable is used to describe an item, usually food, that typically spoils within a relatively short amount of time, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products.Such items are often simply called perishables. (When used as a noun, the term is most commonly plural.)The term is often contrasted with nonperishables—food items that can be stored for a long time without spoiling, like dried grains, beans, and pasta.Perishable foods need to be specially stored (like in a refrigerator) or eaten relatively quickly. Nonperishables, on the other hand, are things that will last a long time without refrigeration or other special storage.Example: Let’s try to eat all the perishables before we go on vacation—we don’t want to come back to spoiled milk and rotting tomatoes.