vegetable

American  

[vej-tuh-buhl, vej-i-tuh-] / ˈvɛdʒ tə bəl, ˈvɛdʒ ɪ tə- /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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vegetable Scientific  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• nonvegetable noun

Etymology

Origin of vegetable

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

Example Sentences

However, those findings typically focus on variety within healthy food groups such as fruits and vegetables.

From Science Daily

The pastels—reminiscent of empanadas—were filled with beef and vegetables and served with a flavorful sauce.

From Salon

Like the federal government, the AHA defines a healthy diet as rich in vegetables and fruits and low in added sugars and ultraprocessed foods.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the moment, there were seven other Elders focused on prep work—dicing vegetables for stew, carving meat off carcasses.

From Literature

Getting Jonah to do his homework is like trying to convince a cat to eat vegetables.

From Literature

Related Words

• herb
• legume
• produce
• salad