What does "vegetation" mean?

1. (plant life) all the plants, trees, and flowers that grow in a specific place. 2. (abnormal growth) a small, unhealthy growth on a part of the body, like a heart valve. 3. (the process of growing) the natural process of a plant growing and developing.

vegetation

US //ˌvɛdʒəˈteɪʃən// UK //vˌɛdʒɪtˈeɪʃən// veg·e·ta·tion

1 plant life (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

all the plants, trees, and flowers that grow in a specific place.

the collective plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period. Uncountable in general usage.

Example

The desert has very little vegetation because there is almost no rain.

Example

The dense tropical vegetation made it nearly impossible for the explorers to maintain a straight path through the valley without clearing a trail.
2 abnormal growth (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

a small, unhealthy growth on a part of the body, like a heart valve.

an abnormal growth of tissue, often composed of fibrin and platelets, typically found on heart valves in cases of endocarditis.

Example

The doctor used an ultrasound to look for vegetation on the patient's heart.

Example

The echocardiogram revealed significant vegetation on the mitral valve, confirming the clinical suspicion of bacterial endocarditis.
- growth
- lesion

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3 the process of growing (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal Technical Science

the natural process of a plant growing and developing.

the biological act or process of growing in the manner of a plant.

Example

Scientists studied the rapid vegetation of the area after the volcanic eruption.

Example

The study focused on the rate of vegetation in nutrient-poor soils compared to those enriched by organic matter.
- growth
- development
- decay

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French végétation, from Medieval Latin vegetātiōnem.