vegetable
VEHJ-tuh-buhl
Vegetable (noun) means a plant, or part of a plant, grown to be eaten — such as the leaves, roots, or stems — that isn't classified as a fruit, grain, herb, or spice. Example: “A vegetable such as a leek or parsnip adds flavour to any stew.”
noun
1
A plant, or part of a plant, grown to be eaten — such as the leaves, roots, or stems — that isn't classified as a fruit, grain, herb, or spice.
"A vegetable such as a leek or parsnip adds flavour to any stew."
"Carrots, spinach, and broccoli are all vegetables."
"She grows her own vegetables in a backyard garden."
adj
1
Relating to plants or to vegetables specifically.
"We use vegetable oil for frying because it suits most recipes."
"The market stall sold vegetable seeds and small pots of compost."
"The soup had a rich vegetable broth as its base."
How to use vegetable
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA plant food like carrots, broccoli, or spinach — anything that isn't a fruit, grain, herb, or spice.
Common pairings
fresh vegetables
root vegetable
vegetable garden
vegetable oil
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Word forms
- Plural
- vegetables
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Can you complete this real example?
A _____ such as a leek or parsnip adds flavour to any stew.
Etymology
From Latin vegetabilis ("able to grow, thriving"), from vegetare ("to enliven") — related distantly to words like "vigor" and "vigil."
Related words
Rhymes for vegetable
See all rhymes for vegetable →Frequently asked questions
What does “vegetable” mean?
The word “vegetable” means a plant, or part of a plant, grown to be eaten — such as the leaves, roots, or stems — that isn't classified as a fruit, grain, herb, or spice. In plain terms, a plant food like carrots, broccoli, or spinach — anything that isn't a fruit, grain, herb, or spice.
How do you pronounce “vegetable”?
“Vegetable” is pronounced VEHJ-tuh-buhl (/ˈvɛd͡ʒ.tə.bəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “vegetable” in a sentence?
Here is “vegetable” used in a sentence: “Carrots, spinach, and broccoli are all vegetables.”
What part of speech is “vegetable”?
Depending on how it is used, “vegetable” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “vegetable” come from?
The word “vegetable” comes from Latin. From Latin vegetabilis ("able to grow, thriving"), from vegetare ("to enliven") — related distantly to words like "vigor" and "vigil.".
Is “vegetable” a common word?
“Vegetable” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “vegetable” have?
“Vegetable” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a plant, or part of a plant, grown to be eaten — such as the leaves, roots, or stems — that isn't classified as a fruit, grain, herb, or spice.
What is the difference between a "fruit" and a "vegetable"?
Botanically, a fruit develops from the flower and contains seeds, while a vegetable is another edible part of a plant, such as the leaves, roots, or stems. In everyday cooking, "vegetable" covers savoury plant foods, which is why tomatoes and cucumbers are often called vegetables even though they are botanically fruits.
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?
Botanically a tomato is a fruit, because it grows from the flower and contains seeds, but in cooking and everyday language it is treated as a vegetable because it is used in savoury dishes. Both descriptions are correct in their own context.
What is the difference between a "vegetable" and a "herb"?
A vegetable is a plant or plant part grown to be eaten as a food in its own right, while a herb is a plant used in small amounts for flavour or fragrance. By definition, a food classed as a herb, spice, grain, or fruit is not counted as a vegetable.
What are the main types of vegetable?
Vegetables are often grouped by the plant part eaten — leafy vegetables such as spinach, root vegetables such as carrots, and stem vegetables such as celery. This mirrors the definition of a vegetable as an edible leaf, root, or stem of a plant.
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