edible

1 of 2

adjective

ed·​i·​ble ˈe-də-bəl 

: fit to be eaten : eatable

edibility

ˌe-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

edibleness

ˈe-də-bəl-nəs 

noun

edible

2 of 2

noun

plural edibles

1

: something that is suitable or safe to eat : something edible

… growing mushrooms is becoming an increasingly popular activity. Growers come to Telluride for workshops in cultivating … exotic edibles …

—Barbara W. Fash et al.

: a food item

… there were not many complaints about the quality of the edibles and potables dispensed in the … reception room …

—James Lardner

Eating all their meals out, the only edibles they keep in their home are chocolate kisses.

—Shelley Levitt and Mary Huzinec

2

: any of various food items containing THC

Cannabis edibles include chocolates, cookies, and gummies, and entrepreneurs are coming up with new cannabis-infused concoctions all the time.

—Jack Delaney

Like alcohol, edibles can only be sold legally at licensed "dispensaries" to those 21 or older.

—Sharlene Johnson

Synonyms

Adjective

• comestible
• eatable
• eating
• esculent

Noun

• bread
• chow
• chuck [chiefly West]
• comestibles
• eatables
• eats
• fare
• food
• foodstuffs
• grub
• meat
• provender
• provisions
• table
• tucker [chiefly Australian]
• viands
• victuals
• vittles

Examples of edible in a Sentence

Adjective

a plant with edible leaves

All of the decorations on the gingerbread house were edible.

Noun

even if the storm turns out to be a blizzard, there are enough edibles in the refrigerator to last us a week

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The group’s Olam Food Ingredients, which consists of the company's cocoa, coffee, edible nuts, spices and dairy businesses, plans to list on the London Stock Exchange, but the listing was postponed in 2022 due to market volatility. —Yessar Rosendar, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

The cake art of Taylor Swift wasn't even the only humanoid display available so far at the event — artist Emma Jayne created a life-sized version of Queen Elizabeth I, and the BBC reported that an edible version of Dogpool, the canine from Deadpool & Wolverine, was also on display. —Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Noun

Millions of Americans live in cities and counties with retail shops offering a range of products that make the dimebags of yesteryear seem quaint by comparison: vape cartridges, edibles, oils, and waxes, offering more highly concentrated THC doses. —Marin Cogan, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024

Cookies, cakes, brownies, gummy candies and soft drinks are some of the most popular types of edibles. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Late Latin edibilis, from Latin edere to eat — more at eat

First Known Use

Adjective

1594, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

edible

adjective

ed·​i·​ble ˈed-ə-bəl 

: fit or safe to be eaten

edible fruit

edibility

ˌed-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

edible noun