flexitarian

American  

[flek-si-tair-ee-uhn] / ˌflɛk sɪˈtɛər i ən /

noun

1. a person whose diet is mostly vegetarian but sometimes includes meat, fish, or poultry.

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adjective

1. of or relating to flexitarians or their diet.

   a flexitarian cookbook.

flexitarian British  

/ ˌflɛksɪˈtɛərɪən /

noun

1. a person who eats a predominantly vegetarian diet, but who eats meat or fish occasionally

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adjective

1. of or relating to a flexitarian

   flexitarian fare

Other Word Forms

• flexitarianism noun

Etymology

Origin of flexitarian

First recorded in 1990–95; flexi(ble) + (vege)tarian

Example Sentences

Professor Mouritsen believes that flexitarian diets are a more viable option than today's focus on replicating meat products using plants:

From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2024

A social omnivore is a kind of flexitarian with a very clear rule about when they will eat meat: when it is served in a social setting.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2023

“As someone who has been preaching ‘Health is Wealth’, building Hart House felt like the natural evolution of my flexitarian lifestyle and my business ecosystem,” Hart said in a press release.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2022

A half-century later, folks like Konig and Nathan Anda, the chef and mastermind behind Red Apron Butchery, see red meat as part of a flexitarian diet that includes lots of vegetables.

From Washington Post • Aug. 17, 2021

The latest suggestion is to take on a "flexitarian" diet.

From BBC • Oct. 11, 2018