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vegetativus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word vegetativus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1150–1175 Peter Comestor More words from the 12th century
Ultimate origin
Latin vegetō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin vegetativus
English vegetative

Forms

vegetātīvus (feminine vegetātīva, neuter vegetātīvum); first/second-declension adjective[1][2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin vegetātus + -īvus, vegetātus being the perfect participle of vegetō.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first record is in Peter Comestor, in the third quarter of the 12th century.[1]

Semantic evolution

In British medieval Latin it could mean simply vigorous or strong, of captives kept for work.[2] Above all it was a word of natural philosophy, for what has the basic powers of life, growth, nourishment and reproduction, especially as in plants; the anima vegetativa was the soul of these powers, the only soul of plants, distinguished from the sensitive soul of animals and the rational soul.[2] Thomas Aquinas uses it as a synonym of nutritivus and vegetābilis, and the neuter vegetativum for this class of the soul's powers.[4] Roger Bacon describes some living things as vegetative only, like plants, others as vegetative and sensitive, like animals, and humans as also intellective.[2]

English took it over as vegetative, from Old French and directly from Medieval Latin.[3]

Timeline

  • 3rd quarter of the 12th century – Peter Comestor uses it.[1]
  • 1284 – The Annals of Osney say that the vegetative and the sensitive soul are together in the embryo.[2]
  • late 14th century – English borrows it as vegetative.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin) Vigorous, strong.[2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Having or concerning the basic powers of life (growth, nourishment, reproduction), especially of plants; vegetative.[2][4][1] anima vegetativa: the vegetative soul.[2][4]
  3. (Medieval Latin, as a noun, neuter) The vegetative powers of the soul.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
Cite this entry

“Vegetativus.” Etymologically, 13 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/vegetativus. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·