potable

1 of 2

adjective

po·​ta·​ble ˈpō-tə-bəl 

 military often  ˈpä-

: suitable for drinking

potable water

potability

ˌpō-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

potableness

ˈpō-tə-bəl-nəs 

 military often  ˈpä-

noun

potable

2 of 2

noun

: a liquid that is suitable for drinking

especially : an alcoholic beverage

Synonyms of potable

Adjective

• drinkable
• clean
• fresh

Noun

• drink
• liquor
• alcohol
• booze
• spirits
• rum
• bottle

Examples of potable in a Sentence

Adjective

around here, the only potable water comes from wells

Noun

hid the potables in the back hall closet

keeps the wet bar stocked with an array of top-shelf liquors, mixers, and other fine potables

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

There's also an air condensation mechanism that produces a few liters of potable water daily, along with a stable Wi-Fi connection. —Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 7 Nov. 2025

Scottsdale is heavily dependent on the Colorado River for its potable water supplies. —Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025

Noun

Its high-end potables have since won awards in beer strongholds Germany and Belgium, and the powerhouse Carlsberg Group recently bought a minority stake. —Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2024

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune fans might need to break out the potent potables after reading this news: The 24/7 Pluto channels devoted to both shows have quietly ended their runs on the platform. —Josef Adalian, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Late Latin potabilis, from Latin potare to drink; akin to Latin bibere to drink, Greek pinein

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for potable

• notable
• quotable

Kids Definition

potable

adjective

po·​ta·​ble

ˈpōt-ə-bəl

: suitable for drinking

potability

ˌpōt-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

Medical Definition

potable

1 of 2 adjective

po·​ta·​ble ˈpōt-ə-bəl 

: suitable for drinking

potable water

potable

2 of 2 noun

: a liquid that is suitable for drinking

especially : an alcoholic beverage