vegetable

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

noun

adjective

Origin of vegetable

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

OTHER WORDS FROM vegetable

non·veg·e·ta·ble, noun, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for vegetable

British Dictionary definitions for vegetable

vegetable
/ (ˈvɛdʒtəbəl) /

noun

any of various herbaceous plants having parts that are used as food, such as peas, beans, cabbage, potatoes, cauliflower, and onions
informal a person who has lost control of his mental faculties, limbs, etc, as from an injury, mental disease, etc
  1. a dull inactive person
  2. (as modifier)a vegetable life
(modifier) consisting of or made from edible vegetables a vegetable diet
(modifier) of, relating to, characteristic of, derived from, or consisting of plants or plant material vegetable oils
rare any member of the plant kingdom

Word Origin for vegetable

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

Medical definitions for vegetable

vegetable
[ vĕjtə-bəl, vĕjĭ-tə- ]

n.

A plant cultivated for an edible part, such as the root of the beet, the leaf of spinach, or the flower buds of broccoli or cauliflower.
The edible part of such a plant.

adj.

Of, relating to, or derived from plants or a plant.

Scientific definitions for vegetable

vegetable
[ vĕjtə-bəl ]

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.
An edible part of one of these plants. See Note at fruit.