Word: Vegetative Cell
Part of Speech: Noun
A vegetative cell is a type of cell found in plants and animals that is not involved in reproduction. These cells are responsible for the growth and maintenance of the organism. They are different from reproductive cells, which are involved in creating new life (like eggs and sperm).
In more advanced discussions, you might encounter terms like somatic cells, which are another name for vegetative cells in animals. Somatic cells include all body cells except for sperm and egg cells.
In a non-scientific context, "vegetative" can also refer to something that is not active or not growing, sometimes used to describe a state of being in which a person is alive but not aware of their surroundings.
There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly relate to "vegetative cell," as it is a specialized scientific term.
In summary, a vegetative cell is an important part of living organisms that helps them grow and function but does not take part in reproduction.