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

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 Word Forms

• nonvegetable noun

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

Cooking oil broadly refers to refined vegetable or seed oils used for frying, baking, dressings, and general food preparation.

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Dairy, fruits and vegetables and cereals have all become pricier.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The message largely targeted Africans working in fruit and vegetable production, now so crucial to the southern Spanish economy.

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The home features a “state-of-the-art gym and wellness area,” a home theater, a catering kitchen, a tennis court, a vegetable garden, a chicken coop, and a koi pond.

Read more on MarketWatch

You roast your own vegetables at 5 a.m.?

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Related Words

• herb 
• legume 
• produce 
• salad