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

In urban areas, there’s more concrete, less vegetation. —Sean Greene, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025

There is vegetation growing on its outskirts, with chickens in coops on the sides of roads, paintings for sale in windows and on some streets, shops are exclusively for artists. —Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025

Native seeds will be planted to replace disturbed vegetation in the project area. —Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

The multiple Oklahoma fires erupted amid gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation. —Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for vegetation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

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