Potables

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Liquid substances that are suitable for drinking, often referring to beverages
2. any liquid that can be consumed safely without health risks
3. substances in various forms that are deemed safe for human ingestion

Etymology: "Potables" is the plural of "potable," an adjective that came into English in the late 1500s and 1600s, borrowed from Late Latin "potabilis," meaning "drinkable." That Latin word comes from "potare," "to drink," which is also the source of "potion," "poison" (through Old French "poison," from the same drink-related root), and "potator," a heavy drinker. Its close relatives in Romance languages, such as Italian "potabile," show the same idea of drinkability. The noun use is the more recent development. English speakers started using "potable" as a noun only in the 20th century, a shift that stands out because most adjectives in English do not become plural nouns for everyday things. Here the plural "potables" usually refers to drinks in general, often in a slightly formal or humorous register, as in a menu or a list of supplies.

Synonyms: beverages, drinks, liquors, refreshments, spirits

Antonyms: poisons, toxins, contaminants