esculent

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   fit or suitable to be eaten; edible

   The survey distinguished esculent roots from similar-looking poisonous plants.

2. 2
   noun

   something edible, especially a vegetable or edible fungus

   The market sold roots, mushrooms, and other seasonal esculents.

A learned borrowing from Latin esculentus, 'fit for eating, nourishing,' from esca, 'food,' ultimately related to Latin edere, 'to eat,' and the Indo-European root *ed-. The noun use for an edible thing developed from the adjective.

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