sell-by date

[sel-bahy]

noun

1. the last date on which perishable food should be sold, usually established with some allowance for home storage under refrigeration.

sell-by date

noun

1. a date printed on the packaging of perishable goods, indicating the date after which the goods should not be offered for sale

2. informal,  beyond one's prime

Word History and Origins

Origin of sell-by date¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. past one's / its sell-by date, past one's or its prime; past the period of greatest vigor, success, etc..

   an aging actress, well past her sell-by date.