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Eatable vs Consumable - What's the difference?

eatable | consumable |

As adjectives the difference between eatable and consumable

is that eatable is able to be eaten; edible while consumable is that is consumed or depleted upon use.

As nouns the difference between eatable and consumable

is that eatable is (mostly|in the plural) anything edible; food while consumable is a material or product that is produced for consumption.

eatable

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Able to be eaten; edible.
  • *
    • The contents of the pan began to boil, and he turned to plunge his hand into the bowl; I conjectured that this preparation was probably for our supper, and, being hungry, I resolved it should be eatable ;
  • * 1891 , , Natural selection and tropical nature , page 399,
    • When the seeds are larger, softer, and more eatable , they are protected by an excessively hard and stony covering, as in the plum and peach tribe ; or they are enclosed in a tough horny core, as with crabs and apples.
  • * 1911 , ,
    • Their diet includes practically everything eatable they can capture or kill.

    Usage notes

    Rather informal, due to simple analysis as eat + . edible is the usual term, and much more frequent – eatable may be interpreted as an error – while comestible is relatively formal. More narrowly, used to mean “food that can be eaten, but is not of very high quality ”.

    Synonyms

    * comestible * edible

    Antonyms

    * uneatable

    Coordinate terms

    * drinkable, potable

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (mostly, in the plural) Anything edible; food.

    • Synonyms

    * comestible * edible

    consumable

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • That is consumed or depleted upon use.
  • That may be eaten.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A material or product that is produced for consumption.
    • printer consumables such as toner and ink cartridges