vegetation

noun

veg·​e·​ta·​tion ˌve-jə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: plant life or total plant cover (as of an area)

2

: the act or process of vegetating

3

: inert existence

4

: an abnormal growth upon a body part

fibrin vegetations on the mitral valve

vegetational

ˌve-jə-ˈtā-sh(ə-)nəl

 

adjective

Synonyms

• flora
• foliage
• green
• greenery
• herbage
• leafage
• verdure

Examples of vegetation in a Sentence

the dense vegetation of the jungle

the local vegetation is flourishing as a result of the recent rains

Recent Examples on the Web

The greens were too hard, the bunkers too fluffy, the rough too sparse, the aerial visuals too jarring with native vegetation in the barrancas not fully grown. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2024

After the predators are gone, seabird communities on some islands may need more help to recover, such as through restoring vegetation, placing life-sized models of birds or playing recorded calls to lure birds in. —Ethan Freedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 May 2024

With a view overlooking a large, tranquil pond surrounded by vegetation. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 23 May 2024

To maintain the restoration’s momentum, the nonprofit Watershed Management Group brings volunteers to streams where the mountains meet desert to remove tangles of non-native vegetation that sucks water and crowds out native species. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin vegetātiōn-, vegetātiō "power of growth," going back to Latin, "act of invigorating," from vegetāre "to impart energy to, invigorate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal nouns — more at vegetate

First Known Use

1564, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

vegetation

noun

veg·​e·​ta·​tion ˌvej-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act or process of vegetating

2

: dull or inactive living

a life of tranquil vegetation

3

: plant life or cover (as of an area)

Medical Definition

vegetation

noun

veg·​e·​ta·​tion ˌvej-ə-ˈtā-shən 

: an abnormal outgrowth upon a body part

specifically : any of the warty excrescences on the valves of the heart that are composed of various tissue elements including fibrin and collagen and that are typical of endocarditis