vegetative

[ vej-i-tey-tiv ]

adjective

1. growing or developing as or like plants; vegetating.
2. of, relating to, or concerned with vegetation or vegetable growth.
3. of or relating to the plant kingdom.
4. noting the parts of a plant not specialized for reproduction.
5. (of reproduction) asexual.
6. denoting or pertaining to those bodily functions that are performed unconsciously or involuntarily.
7. having the power to produce or support growth in plants:

   vegetative mold.

8. characterized by a lack of activity; inactive; passive:

   a vegetative state.

vegetative

/ ˈvɛdʒɪtətɪv /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting the nonreproductive parts of a plant, i.e. the stems, leaves, and roots, or growth that does not involve the reproductive parts
2. (of reproduction) characterized by asexual processes
3. of or relating to functions such as digestion, growth, and circulation rather than sexual reproduction
4. (of a style of living) dull, stagnant, unthinking, or passive

vegetative

/ vĕj′ĭ-tā′tĭv /

1. Relating to or characteristic of plants or their growth.
2. Relating to vegetative reproduction.
3. Relating to feeding and growth rather than reproduction, as in the mobile phase of plasmodial slime molds.
4. Relating to an impaired level of brain function in which a person responds reflexively to certain sensory stimuli but demonstrates no cognitive function.

Derived Forms

• ˈvegetativeness, noun
• ˈvegetatively, adverb

Other Words From

• vege·tative·ly adverb
• vege·tative·ness noun
• non·vege·tative adjective
• non·vege·tative·ly adverb
• non·vege·tative·ness noun
• non·vege·tive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vegetative¹

1350–1400; Middle English vegetatyf < Medieval Latin vegetātīvus. See vegetate, -ive

Example Sentences

The situation was so dire that the family of the patient had been told to expect she would remain in an irreversible vegetative state.

From MIT Technology Review

Disorders of consciousness are a common consequence of severe brain injury and include comas and vegetative states.

From Singularity Hub 

In a landmark study in 2006, a team of researchers showed that a 23-year-old woman, who suffered severe brain trauma and was thought to be in a vegetative state following a traffic accident, had signs of awareness.

From Singularity Hub 

People who are in a coma or vegetative state are thought to have no internal experience, like seeing or hearing.

From Nautilus

Still a graduate student, I had begun co-conducting the first clinical trial using ultrasound to treat severe brain damage in patients with a “disorder of consciousness,” like coma or the vegetative state.

From Nautilus

Terri Schiavo, on the other hand, was in a vegetative state.

From The Daily Beast

“So settled, so still, so serene / Completely vegetative, cumcumbive, or potative, non-communicative, and green …” Bonkers.

From The Daily Beast

The doctors told her to get busy and find a nursing home, as the prognosis was “a vegetative state at best.”

From The Daily Beast

While not brain-dead, the 81 year old exists in a persistent vegetative state.

From The Daily Beast

From the animal soul there likewise issued a splendor, which produced the vegetative soul.

From Project Gutenberg

From the vegetative soul proceeds again a splendor, from which is made the sphere (the heaven).

From Project Gutenberg

Next to the soul comes the Sphere (the heaven), which arises in the horizon and shadow of the vegetative soul.

From Project Gutenberg

Hence the splendor of the vegetative soul is undoubtedly brighter than that of the sphere, which comes from its shadow.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus we are told that the soul consists of three powers, or three souls, the vegetative, the animal and the rational.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abundant
• arable
• fruitful
• lush
• productive
• rich