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

Explanation

A vegetable is an edible part of a plant, like a stalk of broccoli, a carrot, or a spinach leaf. With a few exceptions (think French fries), vegetables are just about the healthiest food you can eat. Culinary purists will tell you that some things you think of as vegetables, like tomatoes and zucchinis, aren't vegetables at all — they're fruits, because they have seeds. In general, though, it's fine to refer to the parts of plants used for food as vegetables. The word's original meaning was simply "any plant," and soon it came to mean "plant cultivated for food." Since 1921, it's also been slang for "person leading a monotonous, inactive life."

Example Sentences

Kurtén points to diesel-powered yachts less than 20 years old that can slash emissions by converting to hydrotreated vegetable oils.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

“Whether you’re a grocer, a meatpacking plant, a vegetable grower, that cost has to be factored in, because it doesn’t matter who you are, you’re faced with it,” Dubuque said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Other impressive features on the grounds include a saltwater pool; vegetable gardens; a wildflower meadow; an orchard of cherry, apple, and peach trees; and a sports court—ideal for Paul’s training.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

To start, they’ve been masquerading as a vegetable when they are actually classified as botanical fruits.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

After a while she began to raise chickens and a small vegetable garden in the little yard beside our house.

From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau

Related Words

• herb
• legume
• produce
• salad