Where does “potable” come from?
Potable comes from Middle English potable, from Old French potable, from Latin potabilis meaning "drinkable," derived from Latin poto meaning "to drink," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European peh₃-.
potable (English): Good for drinking without fear of disease or...
Definitions
- Good for drinking without fear of disease or...
Ancestry of “potable”, step by step
potable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English potable
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | potable | Suitable for drinking; potable |
| 2 | Old French | potable | potable |
| 3 | Latin | pōtābilis | drinkable, potable |
| 4 | Latin | pōtō | to drink |
| 5 | Latin | pōtus | drunk |
| 6 | Latin | pōtāre | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | pōtos | drunk |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tós | drunk; having drunk |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |
via Late Latin potabilis
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | potabilis | drinkable, potable |