Something perishable will decay, rot, or spoil if not used quickly. Fresh strawberries are perishable: leave them on the counter for a week and they'll grow fuzzy mold. Milk is perishable: it turns sour after several days. Bread, lettuce, fish, and cut flowers are all perishable.

The opposite of perishable is non-perishable. Canned soup, dried pasta, and rice can sit in your pantry for months or even years without going bad. That's why emergency preparedness kits contain non-perishable foods.

The word comes from perish, which means to die or be destroyed. Perishable goods are racing against time. Grocery stores keep perishable items in refrigerators or freezers to slow down decay. They also mark down prices on perishable foods nearing their expiration dates, since they'd rather sell them cheaply than throw them away.

You can use the word more broadly too. Someone might say that fame is perishable, meaning it doesn't last forever. But most often, you'll encounter perishable on food labels, in grocery stores, or when someone's explaining why you need to eat those leftovers before they spoil.