Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “eatable” come from?

Eatable comes from Middle English -able, from Old French -able, from Latin -abilis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- meaning "to eat."

eatable (English): Able to be eaten; edible; Anything edible; food

Definitions

  1. Able to be eaten; edible; Anything edible; food

Ancestry of “eatable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglisheatTo ingest; to be ingested; To use up; To cause ...
2Middle EnglishetenTo eat, devour; To consume or have a meal; To...
3Old Englisheotengiant, monster
4Proto-Germanicetunazan overeater, glutton; a giant
5Proto-Germanicetanąto eat
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁édtito eat
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat

Words derived from “eatable”

  • uneatable
  • uneatableness
  • uneatably
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- →