potable
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of potable
1565–75; < Late Latin pōtābilis drinkable, equivalent to Latin pōtā ( re ) to drink + -bilis -ble
Explanation
If something is potable that means it's safe to drink. In developed countries, tap water is usually potable. Puddle water is not. I know you want to take a sip of that puddle water, but please, restrain yourself. Potable can also be a noun, meaning any drinkable liquid. The word comes from the Latin potare, meaning "to drink." Not only did the Romans come up with that word; they built some of the world's first aqueducts, above-ground channels that brought potable water from the mountains to the cities. Potable water is often in short supply after natural catastrophes like earthquakes and hurricanes, and its availability is often discussed on the news.
Vocabulary lists containing potable
Power Suffix: -able
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Earth Science - Middle School
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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.
We've also got concerns about the ability of some of those ships to produce potable water.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
The crew also does not have access to potable drinking water.
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
The artificial intelligence platforms created by Musk and his compatriots gobbled up ever greater shares of US gross domestic product, energy output and potable water.
From Salon • Nov. 7, 2025
The facility would scrub seawater from the Gulf and yield up to 36 million gallons of potable drinking water a day starting in 2028.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025
The water inside the bathrooms was not potable and was separate and sealed in the rooms by tight doors.
From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen
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.
