vegetarian

[ vej-i-tair-ee-uhn ]

noun

1. a person who does not eat or does not believe in eating meat, fish, fowl, or, in some cases, any food derived from animals, as eggs or cheese, but subsists on vegetables, fruits, nuts, grain, etc.

adjective

1. of or relating to vegetarianism or vegetarians.
2. devoted to or advocating this practice.
3. consisting solely of vegetables:

   vegetarian vegetable soup.

vegetarian

/ ˌvɛdʒɪˈtɛərɪən /

noun

1. a person who advocates or practises vegetarianism

adjective

1. relating to, advocating, or practising vegetarianism
2. cookery strictly, consisting of vegetables and fruit only, but usually including milk, cheese, eggs, etc

Other Words From

• nonveg·e·tari·an adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vegetarian¹

First recorded in 1835–45; veget(able) + -arian

Example Sentences

The number of Americans who follow a vegetarian diet hasn’t changed much in recent decades.

From Outside Online

I think it’s much more likely that everybody would become a vegetarian than it is that people would start eating insects on a broad scale.

From Freakonomics

Our readers’ top 10 vegetarian recipes of 2020But on second thought, many of the Southern vegetable dishes I was raised on are braises.

From Washington Post

Not only was this our top vegetarian recipe of the year, but it was also our top recipe of the year, period.

From Washington Post

The last is vegetarian, but almost anything there can be made vegan.

From Washington Post

In the fall of 1992, Booker became a vegetarian “as an experiment,” he said, “and I was surprised by how much my body took to it.”

From The Daily Beast

We frequently enjoyed his Bengali vegetarian feasts while discussing different aspects of Eastern philosophy late into the night.

From The Daily Beast

He was, after all, mostly vegetarian, eating meat only a few times per year.

From The Daily Beast

Even though his undergraduate studies had led him to be a vegetarian, he decided to intern with a small pork producer.

From The Daily Beast

FINEST FEAST FOR FAMED VEGETARIAN GWYNETH PALTROW WHERE: Oxheart.

From The Daily Beast

“He escaped by becoming a vegetarian the very day the law came into force,” said Padna.

From Project Gutenberg

"He's a vegetarian," remarked the Tiger, as the horse began to munch the clover.

From Project Gutenberg

If there is any race of man which is vegetarian, you will find that it is from necessity alone.

From Project Gutenberg

One would not, however, have one's guest a vegetarian, because that way distraction lies.

From Project Gutenberg

Even carnivorous animals thrive better on a vegetarian diet.

From Project Gutenberg