VEGETABLE


Meaning of VEGETABLE in English

[ 'vɛdʒtəb(ə)l , 'vɛdʒɪtə- ]

■ noun

1》 a plant or part of a plant used as food.

2》 informal, derogatory a person who is incapable of normal mental or physical activity, especially through brain damage.

↘a person with a dull or inactive life.

Origin

ME (in the sense 'growing as a plant'): from OFr., or from late L. vegetabilis 'animating', from L. vegetare (see vegetate ).

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.