Difference Between Eatable & Edible

Eatable vs Edible

Eatable and edible are two words in the English language that often cause confusion among people, especially non-native speakers, due to their seemingly similar meanings. Although there is some overlap, there are subtle differences between the meanings of eatable and edible, suggesting that the two words should be used in different contexts.

Key Takeaways

• Eatable is an informal term and is used to describe food that is not of very high quality but can still be eaten.
• Edible means something that is not toxic or poisonous and is fit for consumption.
• Something that is edible is not always eatable, but if it is eatable, it is automatically edible.

Eatable is a word made up of ‘eat’ and ‘able,’ which implies that anything that can be eaten is classified as eatable. Synonyms for the word are edible and comestible. However, the word is used sparingly in this sense, and edible is the term used more frequently. Eatable is used more to describe food that is not of very high quality but can still be eaten. In fact, eatable is a rather informal term and is now used more to describe food items at a party as “eatables.”

Edible comes from the Latin word edibilis, which means to eat. It is a word that describes a food item that can be consumed without harm. This is the sense that is sought to be conveyed when we talk about edible flowers, edible oils, and edible fruits. Edible is used in text more often to refer to items that can be eaten without any worries, as they are not poisonous. If we say that fish is edible, it means that the fish is not poisonous and is fit enough for consumption.

The difference between eatable and edible is that eatable is informal and used sparingly, whereas edible is used more commonly. Edible means something that is not toxic or poisonous and is fit enough for consumption, whereas eatable means something that is palatable. So, something that is ready to be eaten is an eatable. Raw meat is edible but not eatable until it has been cooked. Something that is edible is not always eatable, but if it is eatable, it is automatically edible.