vegetable

1 of 2

noun

veg·​e·​ta·​ble ˈvej-tə-bəl How to pronounce vegetable (audio)
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
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
Adjective
The demand for fresh produce and organic products has also risen, with a 12.4% increase in fresh fruit sales and a 9.2% increase in vegetable sales growth between 2023 and 2024. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024 Follow the turkey brine recipe as directed, decrease water to 6 cups. Prepare Brine and Soak Use a vegetable peel, remove strips of peel from lemons and oranges. Annie Krumhardt Peterson, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vegetable 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vegetable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of vegetable was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near vegetable

Cite this Entry

“Vegetable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vegetable. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

vegetable

1 of 2 adjective
veg·​e·​ta·​ble ˈvej-tə-bəl How to pronounce vegetable (audio)
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
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- How to pronounce vegetable (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on vegetable

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