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 of vegetation

• foliage
• flora

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

What began as a small vegetation fire near the intersection of Hwy 93 and Highway 72 on Saturday morning quickly began to grow, thanks to breezy, dry conditions. —Christa Swanson, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026

These toxic elements sat in the channel’s then-stagnant water, which led to a die-off of all vegetation and the emission of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026

Prevent Blocked Drainage Holes One of Martha's favorite ways to repurpose broken terracotta pots is by placing them in the bottom of her planters to keep drainage holes clear of clumps of dirt or vegetation. —Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026

The area is rugged in places, with rocky slopes, narrow canyons and desert vegetation like creosote, palo verde, mesquite, cholla cactus and bunch grasses. —Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 6 Feb. 2026

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