a. and sb. Also 6 comestable, commestyble. [a. F. comestible or ad. late L. comestibilis, f. comest- var. of comēs- ppl. stem of comedĕre to eat up, devour, f. com- altogether + edĕre to eat. The adj. appears to have become obs. in Eng. before 1688; but it has been reintroduced, in sb. use, from French in 19th c.]
† A. adj. Fit to eat, edible, eatable. Obs.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 39/4. All the metes of therthe that ben comestible.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 11 § 6. Any other fowle or their egges, not comestible.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcel., xxxi. ix. 414. All things comestible were spent.
1683. Salmon, Doron Med., I. 314. Take a Comestible thing, as Flesh of Fowls, Beasts, Fishes, etc.
B. sb. Anything to eat, an article of food; pl. eatables. (Usually somewhat humorous or affected.)
1837. T. Hook, Jack Brag, xx. He resolved upon having a strong reinforcement of comestibles.
1848. Lytton, Harold, VI. vi. Other not despicable comestibles.
1865. Miss Braddon, Sir Jasper, III. i. 5. Packing the comestibles.
