vegetable

1 of 2

noun

veg·​e·​ta·​ble ˈvej-tə-bəl 

ˈve-jə-,

ˈvech-

1

: a usually herbaceous plant (such as the cabbage, bean, or potato) grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal

also : such an edible part

2

: plant sense 1b

3

a

: a person having a dull or merely physical existence

b

informal + sometimes offensive : a person whose mental and physical functioning is severely impaired and especially one who requires supportive measures (such as mechanical ventilation) to survive

vegetable

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: of, relating to, constituting, or growing like plants

b

: consisting of plants : vegetational

2

: made from, obtained from, or containing plants or plant products

vegetable soup

vegetable fat

3

: resembling or suggesting a plant (as in inertness or passivity)

Examples of vegetable in a Sentence

Noun

The doctor said I should eat more fruits and vegetables.

a bowl of vegetable soup

The accident had left him a vegetable.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Portraits of the governor and his wife posing with prize-winning vegetables (both are keen gardeners) decorate the walls of the family home in Ngabang, a town in the hills four hours’ drive from Pontianak, the provincial capital. —The Economist, 20 July 2017

This summer, at the South Windsor Farmers Market, SoWin/EatsHealthy will be offering discounted boxes of fresh vegetables from local farmers. —Courant Community, 17 July 2017

The Saturday Muldoon Farmers Market will have baklava, baked goods, rhubarb, crafts and loads of vegetables, including salad mixes, tomatoes, radishes, greens, zucchini, bok choy and herbs. —Steve Edwards, Alaska Dispatch News, 12 July 2017

Like going to the bathroom, or, conversely, being able to eat: Human waste will be treated through a bio-fermentation process, and experimental crops and vegetables will be grown with the help of food and waste byproducts. —Rachel Jacoby Zoldan, Teen Vogue, 11 July 2017

In rats with diabetes, the compound, which occurs naturally in cruciferous vegetables, had the intended effect, reversing the genetic signature in the animals’ livers. —Jessica Wapner, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2017

Her family still has a small vegetable garden and a hillside plot filled with a few dozen white tea plants, but most of their crops have been replaced with cedar trees and a scattering of bamboo. —Michael Holtz, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 June 2017

That’s no surprise, perhaps, given the organic revolution and the proximity to the state’s absurdly fertile Central Valley, which produces half of the country’s fruits and vegetables. —Derek Thompson, The Atlantic, 20 June 2017

The vendors sprawled across several streets with fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and coffee. —Amanda Shine, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 June 2017

Adjective

Positioned on a hill with views of the rolling countryside, a vegetable garden, a historic wine cellar, and recently renovated rooms in the former stables, the property is undeniably enchanting. —Laura Itzkowitz, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024

Grab a handful or two from their bag in the freezer to add vegetable power to mac-and-cheese, a simple pasta dinner or a batch of fried rice. —Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024

So, how about marinated bear steak with vegetable kabobs? —Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024

Land in orchards, likely from nut growers, also grew slightly, and in the past two decades the amount of land dedicated to vegetable crops has also grown. —The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024

If there’s time for soup to simmer, try Ham El-Waylly’s vegetable tortilla soup, featuring purple cabbage, sweet potato, chipotle peppers and pinto beans, topped with avocado. —Alice Callahan, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2024

Designers Marilee Kuhlmann, Tom Rau and Johanna Woollcott will be on hand to discuss the 2-acre project, which includes water harvesting, fire prevention, fruit trees, a vegetable garden, native and water-wise plants and a succulent garden. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024

Several Amazon best-sellers are marked down, too: its top-selling kitchen cookware set, security camera, and vegetable slicer are all on sale for up to 54% off. —Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024

Members of the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County maintain a demonstration garden on site with nine vignettes, a small backyard orchard and vegetable bed. —Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin vegetābilia, plural noun derivative of vegetābilis vegetable entry 2

Adjective

Middle English, "capable of growth, of or like plants (able to grow but lacking motion or sensation)," borrowed from Medieval Latin vegetābilis, going back to Late Latin, "vivifying, refreshing," from vegetāre "to live, grow" + Latin -bilis "capable of (acting or being acted upon)" — more at vegetate, -able

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing vegetable

• root vegetable
• textured vegetable protein
• vegetable ivory
• vegetable oil
• vegetable marrow
• vegetable wax
• vegetable oyster
• green vegetable
• vegetable pear

Kids Definition

vegetable

1 of 2 adjective

veg·​e·​ta·​ble ˈvej-tə-bəl 

ˈvej-ət-ə-bəl

1

: of, relating to, consisting of, or growing like plants

vegetable growth

2

: made from, obtained from, or containing plants or plant products

vegetable soup

vegetable

2 of 2 noun

1

: plant entry 2 sense 1

2

: a leafy plant (as the cabbage, bean, or potato) usually without woody tissue grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal

also : such an edible part

Medical Definition

vegetable

1 of 2 adjective

veg·​e·​ta·​ble ˈvej-tə-bəl, ˈvej-ət-ə- 

1

a

: of, relating to, constituting, or growing like plants

b

: consisting of plants

2

: made or obtained from plants or plant products

vegetable

2 of 2 noun

1

: a usually herbaceous plant (as the cabbage, bean, or potato) grown for an edible part

also : such an edible part

2

: a person whose mental and physical functioning is severely impaired and especially one who requires supportive measures (as intravenous feeding or mechanical ventilation) to survive