: characterized by, resulting from, or being a state in which there is total loss of cognitive functioning and only involuntary bodily functions (such as breathing or blinking of the eyes) are sustained
vegetativelyadverb
vegetativenessnoun
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebWhile some people may become more aware after being in a persistent vegetative state, others can remain in it for years, or decades, according to the institute. Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2022 The idea is that the bison will achieve naturally what conservationists have struggled with: manipulating the vegetative growth to provide habitats for a greater range of flora and fauna. Victoria Turk, Wired, 19 July 2022 Warmbier was released in 2017 in a vegetative state. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 4 May 2022 The accident left him in a coma for a brief time, then in a persistent vegetative state for several months.New York Times, 5 Apr. 2022 While the ceremony, unfortunately, will no doubt continue to be sanitized into the comedic equivalent of a vegetative state. Andy Meek, BGR, 29 Mar. 2022 As Billboard first reported last week, Cross had been at Glendale Memorial Hospital in a vegetative state for approximately six weeks since an asthma attack sent her into cardiac arrest. Danielle Bacher, Billboard, 22 Mar. 2022 Mushroom leather is made from mycelium, the vegetative part of fungus that's been used since the late 20th century by artists and scientists, who grew it for design and medicinal purposes. Frances Solá-santiago, refinery29.com, 6 Dec. 2021 Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, fell into a coma that left her in a vegetative state, her family said in a 2019 lawsuit.NBC News, 18 Feb. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English vegetatif "promoting growth, of the lowest species of soul in Aristotelian philosophy (characteristic of plants), of the plant kingdom," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French vegetative, borrowed from Medieval Latin vegetātīvus, from Late Latin vegetātus, past participle of vegetāre "to live, grow" + Latin -īvus-ive — more at vegetate
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a(1)
Time Traveler
The first known use of vegetative was in the 14th century