Ungenießbar

Ungenießbar is an adjective in German that describes something that cannot or should not be consumed due to issues of taste, safety, or quality. The term denotes the opposite of genießbar (palatable or enjoyable) and can be applied to foods and beverages as well as to experiences or information when they are not acceptable to experience. In everyday language it is often used for items that are clearly unfit to eat or drink, but it can also carry a stronger or more subjective judgment about quality.

In practical use, ungenießbar refers to foods or drinks that are inedible or undrinkable. Examples include spoiled or rotten products, off-flavors, or textures that render a dish or beverage unpleasant. In culinary contexts, a dish or a drink may be described as ungenießbar if its taste, smell, or mouthfeel makes consumption undesirable. The term can appear in casual speech, consumer reviews, or product descriptions where safety or quality concerns are evident.

Causes of something being ungenießbar include spoilage, contamination, improper storage, fermentation faults, or chemical changes that produce off-flavors. Age, light, heat, or packaging failures can also render a product ungenießbar. Metaphorically, it may be used to label information or experiences as not worth “consuming” due to poor quality or offensiveness, though in such use the sense is more evaluative than literal.

Etymology and related terms: ungenießbar is formed from genießbar with the prefix un-, meaning not palatable or not to be enjoyed. Related concepts include Genießbarkeit (palatability), nicht genießbar, and verzehrbar (whether something is edible).