vegetable

[ vej-tuh-buhl, vej-i-tuh- ]

noun

1. any plant whose fruit, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, leaves, or flower parts are used as food, as the tomato, bean, beet, potato, onion, asparagus, spinach, or cauliflower.
2. the edible part of such a plant, as the tuber of the potato.
3. any member of the plant kingdom; plant.
4. Informal. a person who is so severely impaired mentally or physically as to be largely incapable of conscious responses or activity.
5. a dull, spiritless, and uninteresting person.

adjective

1. of, consisting of, or made from edible vegetables:

   a vegetable diet.

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of plants:

   the vegetable kingdom.

3. derived from plants:

   vegetable fiber; vegetable oils.

4. consisting of, comprising, or containing the substance or remains of plants:

   vegetable matter; a vegetable organism.

5. of the nature of or resembling a plant:

   the vegetable forms of Art Nouveau ornament.

6. inactive; inert; dull; uneventful:

   a vegetable existence.

vegetable

/ ˈvɛdʒtəbəl /

noun

1. any of various herbaceous plants having parts that are used as food, such as peas, beans, cabbage, potatoes, cauliflower, and onions
2. informal.
   a person who has lost control of his mental faculties, limbs, etc, as from an injury, mental disease, etc
3. 1. a dull inactive person
   2. ( as modifier )

      a vegetable life

4. modifier consisting of or made from edible vegetables

   a vegetable diet

5. modifier of, relating to, characteristic of, derived from, or consisting of plants or plant material

   vegetable oils

6. rare.
   any member of the plant kingdom

vegetable

/ vĕj′tə-bəl /

1. A plant that is cultivated for an edible part, such as the leaf of spinach, the root of the carrot, or the stem of celery.
2. An edible part of one of these plants.
3. See Note at fruit

Other Words From

• non·vege·ta·ble noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vegetable¹

1350–1400; Middle English (adjective) < Late Latin vegetābilis “able to live and grow,” equivalent to vegetā(re) “to quicken” ( vegetate ) + -bilis -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of vegetable¹

c14 (adj): from Late Latin vegetābilis animating, from vegetāre to enliven, from Latin vegēre to excite

Example Sentences

Another problem caused by the fire is the loss of wages for field hands in Ventura County’s fruit and vegetable farms.

From Los Angeles Times

He tended a vegetable garden, took care of about 20 chickens and has been the family chef, she said, making amazing Vietnamese-style garlic noodles, smoked meats and deep-fried crab.

From Los Angeles Times

Other collections run the gamut, from a mix of poppies to culinary herbs, or easy-to-grow vegetable seeds for the beginning gardener.

From Los Angeles Times

A 1997 article in The Times points to Paul Doyle, a refinery maintenance worker who thought it would be great to paint the tank to “look like an overgrown vegetable from a pumpkin patch.”

From Los Angeles Times

These can include waste cooking oils, vegetable fats and agricultural waste, as well as captured carbon dioxide.

From BBC

Related Words

• herb
• legume
• produce
• salad