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Eater vs Eatable - What's the difference?

eater | eatable |

As nouns the difference between eater and eatable

is that eater is agent noun of eat; one who eats while eatable is (mostly|in the plural) anything edible; food.

As an adjective eatable is

able to be eaten; edible.

eater

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Agent noun of eat; one who eats.
  • An eating apple.
  • * 2004 , Laura Mason, Food Culture in Great Britain (page 94)
  • For the British market, apples are classed as early, mid-season, or late, and subdivided into eaters or cookers.
  • One who performs fellatio or cunnilingus.
  • * 2001 , Cool Sexy Guy, Story: Cheerleading Camp Group: alt.sex
  • The girls were having lots of fun rolling around on the bed, though Kacie was a much better fingerer and occasional eater.
  • * 1987 , Baird Jones, Sexual humor - Page 309
  • I'm a slow but fastidious eater
  • * 1997 , James White, The Best Sex of Your Life - Page 166
  • Ice cream tastes good to the eater, and has the added advantage of providing a little chill of excitement

    Derived terms

    * ant-eater * bean-eater * bee-eater * binge eater * crow eater * fire eater * lotus eater * man-eater * sin eater * smoke eater

    See also

    * trencherman

    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