Collins English-English Dictionary

vegetable ['vεʤtəb^əl]

1. 1. n any of various herbaceous plants having parts that are used as food, such as peas, beans, cabbage, potatoes, cauliflower, and onions

2. 2. n [informal] a person who has lost control of his mental faculties, limbs, etc, as from an injury, mental disease, etc

3. 3. n a dull inactive person

4. 4. n (as modifier)

   a vegetable life

5. 5. n [modifier] consisting of or made from edible vegetables

   a vegetable diet

6. 6. n [modifier] of, relating to, characteristic of, derived from, or consisting of plants or plant material

   vegetable oils

   the vegetable kingdom

7. 7. n [rare] any member of the plant kingdom

8. 8. n [Etymology] c14 (adj): from Late Latin vegetabilis animating, from vegetare to enliven, from Latin vegere to excite