potable

/'poutəbl/

Thân thiện

The hiker fills his canteen from a potable spring.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Suitable for drinking; safe to consume as a drink. This describes a liquid, typically water, that is free from harmful contaminants and meets health standards for human consumption.

2. Noun:

   • A liquid that is suitable for drinking. This refers to any beverage or drinkable liquid.

Usage and Examples

• Adjective:

  • After the flood, ensuring a supply of potable water was the top priority.
  • The stream looked clear, but we weren't sure if it was potable.

• Noun (less common, often formal or technical):

  • The emergency kit included several liters of potable.
  • The ship must carry enough potable for the entire voyage.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The term is most frequently used as an adjective, particularly in formal, technical, or official contexts related to public health, engineering, and survival situations.
• As a noun, its use is more specialized and less common in everyday conversation than synonyms like "beverage" or "drink."

Variants and Related Words

• Potability (noun): The state or quality of being drinkable.
  • Engineers tested the potability of the well water.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Drinkable, safe to drink.
• Noun: Beverage, drink.

Antonyms

• Adjective: Nonpotable, undrinkable, contaminated.

Related Phrases and Technical Usage

• Potable water: The most common collocation, referring specifically to water that is safe for drinking and cooking.
  • The campsite had access to potable water from a treated tap.
• Non-potable water: Water that is not safe for drinking, often used for irrigation, flushing, or industrial purposes.
  • Use the non-potable water for watering the garden, not for drinking.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. suitable for drinking

Noun

1. any liquid suitable for drinking
   • may I take your beverage order?

Từ đồng nghĩa

• drinkable
• beverage
• drink