vegetal, a. and n.
(ˈvɛdʒɪtəl)
Forms: 5 vegytalle, vygital, 6–7 vegitall, 7 vegital, vegetall, 7– vegetal.
[ad. med.L. *vegetālis, f. L. vegetāre: see vegetate v. Cf. F. végétal (16th c.), Sp. and Pg. vegetal, It. vegetale.]
A. adj.
1. a. Characterized by, exhibiting or producing, the phenomena of physical life and growth. (Cf. vegetable a. 1.) Now usually in expressed or implied contrast with animal.
The modern use is due to Herbert Spencer (see Lewes Physiol. Common Life (1860) II. 430 note), and has largely influenced the retention or revival of the form in other senses.
| c 1400 in Ashm. Theatr. Chem. Brit. (1652) 211 Wyth vygital moyster and of the red Grap. 1490 Caxton Eneydos iv. 19 Whan..the naturel hete of blood humayn comforte my membris, & made theym vegytalle wyth sencyble moeuynges. 1611 Cotgr., Vegetal, vegetall, hauing or giuing a (plant-like) life, increase,..or growing. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. i. ii. v, Necessary concomitants or affections of this Vegetall facultie is life, and his privation death. 1666 Bp. S. Parker Free & Impart. Censure (1667) 180 They can exert no acts but of Imagination, whence spring forth the powers of the Vegetal life. |
| 1852 Spencer Ess., Architect. Types (1891) II. 377 That there is some relation between Gothic architecture and vegetal forms is generally admitted. 1861 ― Education 21 Phenomena of animal and vegetal life. 1879 G. Allen Colour-Sense iv, Not a trace of any vegetal organism has yet been discovered in the primary rocks to which [etc.]. 1893 J. Fiske Man's Destiny 27 The myriad fantastic hues of animal and vegetal life. |
b. In expressed or implied contrast with
sensible (or
sensitive) and
rational.
Obs. exc. Hist.| 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. Democritus to Rdr. 16 All creatures, vegetal, sensible and rational. Ibid. i. i. ii. v, Vegetal Plants, Sensible Beasts, Rational Men. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. 384 The functions and delights of the mere Vegetal and Animal nature. 1744 Berkeley Siris §275 The inferior classes of life: first the rational, then the sensitive, after that the vegetal. 1871 Tylor Prim. Cult. I. 393 The famous classic and mediæval theories of the vegetal, sensitive, and rational souls. |
2. Of or pertaining to, derived or obtained from, plants or vegetables.
| 1596 J. Hester Experiments & Cures, etc. (title-p.), Certaine Secrets of Isacke Hollandus concerning the Vegetall and Animall worke. 1669 W. Simpson Hydrol. Chym. 343 Scorbutick pills are so prepared with noble vegetal extractions. 1725 Fam. Dict. s.v. Lye, Take this Lye, put into it an Ounce or two of vegetal Salt. 1758 J. S. Le Dran's Observ. Surg. (1771) 142 Manna, Cassia, and vegetal Salt. 1850 Fraser's Mag. XLI. 300 Most of their vegetal riches might be matched in Covent Garden. 1859 Gullick & Timbs Paint. 143 Vegetal lakes, and the most tender colours. 1866 Watts Dict. Chem. IV. 363 All vegetal tissues which contain pectose. 1879 G. Allen Colour-Sense iii, The bright hues of vegetal products like fruits and flowers. |
3. = vegetable a. 3.
| 1664 Power Exp. Philos. i. 61 The main..Agent in all Natures three Kingdoms Mineral, Vegetal, and Animal. |
| 1804 C. Smith Conversations, etc. I. 71 The rose,..Pride of the vegetal creation. 1859 All Year Round No. 34. 175 This advice is equally just in regard to many other members of the vegetal world. 1876 Contemp. Rev. Jan. 243 Many of the lowest forms of life cannot positively be assigned either to the vegetal or to the animal kingdom. |
4. vegetal pole (
Embryology), the lower pole of an ovum or a young embryo, which divides more slowly than the upper (animal) pole and in telolecithal ova contains most of the yolk.
Cf. animal pole s.v. animal C. 1.
| 1914 W. E. Kellicott Textbk. Gen. Embryol. iii. 92 The vegetal pole is frequently occupied largely by the relatively inert food substance, the materials in general related with the vegetative organs of the developing embryo. 1926 Jordan & Kindred Textbk. Embryol. v. 32 When the yolk is more abundant,..it tends to segregate at one pole, thus determining a yolk-free pole, the animal pole, and a yolk-laden pole, the vegetal pole. 1947 L. B. Arey Devel. Anat. (ed. 5) ii. 31 At the other end of the polar axis is the vegetal pole. Its territory tends to be more sluggish and is concerned with the development of nutrient organs. Cytoplasmic components..are often disposed in a polarized or stratified way. This is well illustrated in telolecithal eggs, whose animal pole is more protoplasmic and whose vegetal pole is more yolk-laden. 1978 Nature 16 Mar. 255/1 (caption) Injection was aimed at the vegetal pole. |
B. n. a. An organic substance which is neither animal nor mineral; a plant:
= vegetable n. 1.
Very common in the first half of the 17th c. In recent use going with the modern application of the
adj. in sense 1.
| 1599 Thynne Animadv. (1875) 15 All other armes whiche are not Anymalls and vegitalls,..as Cheuerons, pales, Bendes [etc.]. 1599 A. Hume Poems (S.T.S.) 21 He knawes..The vertue of all kinde of fruites, and euerie vegetal. 1610 B. Jonson Alch. i. i, Your mineralls, vegetalls and animalls..Could not relieue your corps. c 1640 Waller For Drinking of Healths 1 Let brutes and vegetals, that cannot think, So far as drought and nature urges, drink. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. ii. 1622 All th'other Members shall..Spring out of this, as from a Seed, All sorts of Vegetals proceed. |
| 1864 H. Spencer Princ. Biol. I. 112 The largest species of both animals and vegetals belong to the highest classes. |
† b. fig. (See
quot.)
Obs.—1| 1626 T. H[awkins] Caussin's Holy Crt. 244 A great number of men are now a dayes vegetalls, that is to say, who so liue, as if they had no other soule but the vegetatiue, as plantes, and lead the very life of the mushrome. |