vegetative

adjective

veg·e·ta·tive | \ ˈve-jə-ˌtā-tiv

Definition of vegetative

1 : relating to, composed of, or suggesting vegetation

2 : of or relating to the division of nature comprising the plant kingdom

3 : leading a dull, monotonous, or passive existence : vegetable entry 2 sense 3

4a(1) : growing or having the power of growing

(2) : of, relating to, or engaged in nutritive and growth functions as contrasted with reproductive functions a vegetative nucleus

b : promoting plant growth the vegetative properties of soil

c : of, relating to, or involving propagation by nonsexual processes or methods

5a : autonomic sense 1

b : characterized by, resulting from, or being a state in which there is total loss of cognitive functioning and only involuntary bodily functions (such as breathing or blinking of the eyes) are sustained

Other Words from vegetative Example Sentences Learn More about vegetative

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of vegetative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the episode’s climax, the robot makes the decision to unplug Ashley from life support, arguing that her human self wouldn’t want to live in a vegetative state. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "Black Mirror: ‘Rachel, Jack, and Ashley Too’ Is a Fascinating Jumble," 5 June 2019 Season 1 ended with Holly heroically beating Brady into a coma, so the killer spent most of season 2 in a vegetative state. — Christian Holub, EW.com, "See photos and behind-the-scenes video from Mr. Mercedes season 3," 4 June 2019 Daenerys attempts to use magic to heal Drogo, but ends up leaving him in a vegetative state and forces herself to smother him with a pillow to end his suffering. — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "This New 'Game of Thrones' Theory Reveals Secret Foreshadowing Within the Dragons' Names," 16 May 2019 At the end of the first season, Daenerys is faced with a difficult choice: Allow her husband to wither in a vegetative state or kill him. — Glamour, "Every Time a Woman Has Saved the Day on Game of Thrones," 29 Apr. 2019 The death of Alfie, who had a rare degenerative brain condition that left him in a ‘‘semi-vegetative state’’ with almost no brain function, came five days after doctors removed life support. — Danica Kirka And Sylvia Hui, BostonGlobe.com, "Sick British toddler at center of legal battle dies at 23 months old," 28 Apr. 2018 The Army Corps is instead grinding vegetative debris in Puerto Rico into mulch and making it available to local property owners. — Tim Craig, Washington Post, "Hurricanes left behind mountains of trash in the Virgin Islands — and there’s nowhere to put it," 4 Mar. 2018 Manslaughter charges could not be filed in one fatality, that of Tony Bland, who died after spending nearly four years in a vegetative state, because too much time had passed between the events at the stadium and his death. — Michael Wolgelenter, New York Times, "Hillsborough Police Commander Faces Trial in 95 Soccer Deaths," 29 June 2018 McMath had been in a vegetative state since December 2013, when a California coroner ruled that the 13-year-old girl died after suffering irreversible brain damage during an operation to remove her tonsils. — Paul Elias, Fox News, "Mother: Girl at center of debate over brain death dies," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vegetative.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for vegetative

Middle English vegetatif "promoting growth, of the lowest species of soul in Aristotelian philosophy (characteristic of plants), of the plant kingdom," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French vegetative, borrowed from Medieval Latin vegetātīvus, from Late Latin vegetātus, past participle of vegetāre "to live, grow" + Latin -īvus -ive — more at vegetate

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about vegetative

Dictionary Entries near vegetative

Statistics for vegetative

Last Updated

14 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for vegetative

The first known use of vegetative was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for vegetative

vegetative

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of vegetative

: of or relating to plants

See the full definition for vegetative in the English Language Learners Dictionary

vegetative

adjective

veg·e·ta·tive | \ ˈve-jə-ˌtā-tiv

Kids Definition of vegetative

: of, relating to, or functioning in nutrition and growth rather than reproduction vegetative cells

vegetative

adjective

veg·e·ta·tive | \ ˈvej-ə-ˌtāt-iv

Medical Definition of vegetative

1a(1) : growing or having the power of growing

(2) : of, relating to, or engaged in nutritive and growth functions as contrasted with reproductive functions a vegetative nucleus

b : of, relating to, or involving propagation by nonsexual processes or methods

2 : of or relating to the division of nature comprising the plant kingdom

3 : affecting, arising from, or relating to involuntary bodily functions

4 : characterized by, resulting from, or being a state in which there is total loss of cognitive functioning typically indicated by a lack of awareness of oneself and one's environment and in which only involuntary bodily functions (as breathing or blinking of the eyes) are sustained entered a vegetative state following a serious head injury