Vegetable  —n. 1 plant, esp. A herbaceous plant used for food, e.g. A cabbage, potato, or bean. 2 colloq. Derog. A offens. Person who is severely mentally incapacitated, esp. Through brain injury etc. B dull or inactive person. —adj. Of, derived from, or relating to plant life or vegetables as food. [latin: related to *vegetate]