sell-by date

American  

[sel-bahy] / ˈsɛlˌbaɪ /

noun

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

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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.

sell-by date British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of sell-by date

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

But what was once known as the Lieder recital — the German title for songs in a genre once dominated by Schubert, Schumann, Hugo Wolf and Richard Strauss — has approached its sell-by date.

From Los Angeles Times

The affected products had sell-by dates between Oct.

From Los Angeles Times

The products have sell-by dates ranging from January to late March of next year, according to the FDA notice.

From Los Angeles Times

Products with mid- to late-October sell-by dates included Sprouts Farmers Market smoked mozzarella pasta salad and Scott & Jon’s shrimp scampi with linguini bowl, a precooked frozen meal.

From Los Angeles Times

The recall announcement, issued by the wholesaler on Sept. 20, specifically concerns 3,314.7 pounds of tuna poke with Costco Item Number 17193 and a sell-by date of Sept. 22.

From Salon