potable

[poh-tuh-buh l] /ˈpoʊ tə bəl/
adjective
1.
fit or suitable for drinking:
potable water.
noun
2.
Usually, potables. drinkable liquids; beverages.
Origin
1565-75; < Late Latin pōtābilis drinkable, equivalent to Latin pōtā(re) to drink + -bilis -ble
Related forms
potability, potableness, noun
nonpotable, adjective, noun
unpotable, adjective
Can be confused
portable, potable.
Examples from the web for potable
  • With the other, she would buy potable water from a kiosk.
  • Wastewater reuse is one way to reduce consumption of fresh, potable water.
  • potable water is, of course, directly required for human survival as well.
  • One can do without gas or petrol, but one cannot do without potable water.
  • Solar distillation is a means of converting contaminated or brackish water into potable water.
  • Basically a series of tubs filled with plants and microbes filter and purify the water to become potable again.
  • Clear plastic garbage bags over green leaves in sunlight produces potable drinking water daily.
  • Their base is the only place in town with potable water.
  • And the water now feeds the water-table with potable water.
  • Usually, the process has to be repeated several times in order to get something potable.
British Dictionary definitions for potable

potable

/ˈpəʊtəbəl/
adjective
1.
fit to drink; drinkable
noun
2.
something fit to drink; a beverage
Derived Forms
potability, noun
Word Origin
C16: from Late Latin pōtābilis drinkable, from Latin pōtāre to drink
Word Origin and History for potable
adj.

early 15c., from Old French potable (14c.) and directly from Late Latin potabilis "drinkable," from Latin potare "to drink" (see potion).

potable in Medicine

potable po·ta·ble (pō'tə-bəl)
adj.
Fit to drink; drinkable.

po'ta·bil'i·ty or po'ta·ble·ness n.