vegetate

 
Pronunciation: /ˈvɛdʒɪteɪt/

verb

[no object]
  • 1live or spend a period of time in a dull, inactive, unchallenging way: if she left him alone, he’d sit in front of the television and vegetate
  • 2 dated (of a plant or seed) grow; sprout: he advised that seeds be sent in a vegetating condition
  • [with object] cause plants to grow in or cover (a place): the final task was to vegetate the area used to store the muck dredged from the pond

Origin:

early 17th century: from Latin vegetat- 'enlivened', from the verb vegetare, from vegetus 'active', from vegere 'be active'