vegetable
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Meaning
A plant or part of a plant used as food, such as a cabbage, potato, or bean.
A person who is physically alive but mentally inactive due to injury, illness, or coma.
Structure
Usage
Fresh vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet.
The recipe calls for two cups of chopped mixed vegetables.
After the accident, he was left in a vegetative state.
Etymology
The word 'vegetable' originates from the Latin vegetabilis, meaning 'animating, life-giving'. This derives from vegetare ('to enliven, invigorate'), which is related to vegere ('to be lively, active'). The core concept was one of vigorous growth and vitality. In Medieval Latin, vegetabilis was applied to plants, which were seen as capable of growth and life. Over time in English, the meaning narrowed from 'living and growing' (a quality of all plants) to specifically denote those plants cultivated for food, while the original sense of 'active life' survives in the related word 'vigor'.
Analysis
veget (from Latin vegetare, meaning 'to enliven, animate, grow'); able (from Latin -abilis, an adjective-forming suffix meaning 'capable of, fit for').