different between edible vs esculent

English

Etymology

From Late Latin edibilis, from Latin ed? (“eat”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??d?b?l/, /??d?bl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??d?b?l/, /??d?bl/
• Rhymes: -?d?b?l, -?d?b?l

Adjective

edible (comparative more edible, superlative most edible)

1. Capable of being eaten without harm; suitable for consumption; innocuous to humans.

2. Capable of being eaten without disgust.
   • 1957, Jane Van Zandt Brower, Experimental Stdies of Mimicry in Some North American Butterflies, in 1996, Lynne D. Houck, Lee C. Drickamer (editors), Foundations of Animal Behavior: Classic Papers with Commentaries, page 81,

     However, rather than try to place the Viceroy in a rigid, all-or-none category which implies more than the data show, the Viceroy is here considered more edible than its model, the Monarch, but initially less edible (except to C-2) than the non-mimetic butterflies used in these experiments.

   • 2009, Ephraim Philip Lansky, Helena Maaria Paavilainen, Figs, page 4,

     This gets to the heart of the matter because, in the parthenogenic state, the fruits are more edible (though there are also apparently advantages to pollinated figs, which may be bigger and stronger) and the trees more productive from the human's point of view.

Usage notes

edible is the most common term for “capable of being eaten”; eatable is rather informal, while comestible is relatively formal.

Synonyms

• comestible
• eatable
• eatworthy

Antonyms

• inedible

Coordinate terms

• drinkable, potable
• delectable

Translations

Noun

edible (plural edibles)

1. Anything edible.
   1. In particular, an edible mushroom.

      Synonym: esculent

2. (marijuana) a foodstuff, usually a baked good, infused with tetrahydrocannabinol from cannabutter etc.

Synonyms

• food

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “edible”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• belied, debile

English

Etymology

From Latin ?sculentus (“fit for eating, eatable, edible; good to eat, delicious; nourishing; full of food”) + English -ent (suffix forming adjectives with the sense of causing, doing, or promoting a certain action). ?sculentus is derived from ?sca (“food; dish prepared for the table; bait”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h?ed- (“to eat”)) + -ulentus (suffix meaning ‘abounding in, full of’ forming adjectives).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??skj?l?nt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??skj?l?nt/
• Hyphenation: es?cul?ent

Adjective

esculent (comparative more esculent, superlative most esculent) (formal)

1. Suitable for eating; eatable, edible.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:edible

   Antonyms: inesculent; see also Thesaurus:inedible
2. (figuratively) “Good enough to eat”; attractive.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:beautiful

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:ugly

Coordinate terms

• poculent (obsolete)

Derived terms

• esculentin
• esculent swallow
• inesculent

Translations

Noun

esculent (plural esculents) (formal)

1. Something edible, especially a vegetable; a comestible.
2. (mycology, specifically) An edible mushroom.

Coordinate terms

• poculent (obsolete)

Translations

See also

• esurient

References

Anagrams

• Lucentes, unselect