Vegetable

Pronunciation

RP IPA: /ËˆvedÊ’tÉ™bl/
US IPA: /ËˆvÉ›dÊ’É™tÉ™bÉ™l/, /ËˆvÉ›dÊ’tÉ™bÉ™l/, /ËˆvÉ›tÊƒtÉ™bÉ™l/

Origin

(1350-1400) Middle English (adj.), from Latin vegetabilis ("able to live and grow"), derived from Latin vegetare ("to enliven")

Full definition of vegetable

Noun

vegetable

(plural vegetables)

Any plant.
A plant raised for some edible part of it, such as the leaves, roots, fruit or flowers, but excluding any plant considered to be a fruit, grain, or spice in the culinary sense.
The edible part of such a plant.
(figuratively, derogatory) A person whose brain (or, infrequently, body) has been damaged so that they cannot interact with the surrounding environment; a brain-dead person.

Adjective

vegetable

Of or relating to plants.
Of or relating to vegetables.

Related terms