VEGETATIVE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vegetative mean? 

• VEGETATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective VEGETATIVE has 4 senses:

1. composed of vegetation or plants

2. of or relating to an activity that is passive and monotonous

3. relating to involuntary bodily functions

4. (of reproduction) characterized by asexual processes

  Familiarity information: VEGETATIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VEGETATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Composed of vegetation or plants

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

vegetal; vegetational; vegetative

Context example:

the decaying vegetative layer covering a forest floor

Sense 2

Meaning:

Of or relating to an activity that is passive and monotonous

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

vegetative; vegetive

Context example:

a dull vegetative lifestyle

Pertainym:

vegetation (inactivity that is passive and monotonous, comparable to the inactivity of plant life)

Derivation:

vegetate (engage in passive relaxation)

vegetate (lead a passive existence without using one's body or mind)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Relating to involuntary bodily functions

Context example:

vegetative functions such as digestion or growth or circulation

Similar:

involuntary (controlled by the autonomic nervous system; without conscious control)

Domain category:

physiology (the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(of reproduction) characterized by asexual processes

Synonyms:

vegetal; vegetative

Similar:

asexual; nonsexual (not having or involving sex)

Derivation:

vegetate (propagate asexually)

 Context examples 

Loss of intellectual functions such as memory, learning, reasoning, problem solving, and abstract thinking while vegetative functions remain intact.

(Dementia, NIH CRISP Thesaurus)

The mass of interwoven filamentous hyphae that forms especially the vegetative portion of the thallus of a fungus.

(Mycelium, Food and Drug Administration)

This species is yellow with extensively branched vegetative hyphae without an aerial mycelium which breaks into motile rod shaped elements, is catalase positive, reduces nitrate, hydrolyzes casein, gelatin and starch, is not acid-fast, mesophilic, utilizes acetate, lactate, and pyruvate.

(Oerskovia turbata, NCI Thesaurus)