perishable

adjective

per·​ish·​able ˈper-i-shə-bəl 

ˈpe-ri-

: liable to perish : liable to spoil or decay

such perishable products as fruit, vegetables, butter, and eggs

perishability

ˌper-i-shə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

ˌpe-ri-

noun

perishable noun

Examples of perishable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And he’s allowed his employees to store perishable food in the company’s commercial freezers. — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Investigators are focused on collecting perishable evidence on the scene of the crash. — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026

Tuesday was the first full day the NTSB team was on the ground at the crash site, and their focus was to collect perishable evidence, such as drone images, videos of the plane, and tire marks on the runways, Homendy said. — Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026

Since strawberries are highly perishable, spotting any bruising or damage means mold spores have an easier place to begin spreading across the fruit, warns Jared Hibbard-Swanson, a food security and safety program manager. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for perishable

• imperishable

Kids Definition

perishable

adjective

per·​ish·​able ˈper-ish-ə-bəl 

: likely to spoil or decay

perishable fruit

perishable noun