plant-based
Americanadjective
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relating to or being a food consisting entirely or mainly of whole or minimally processed plant parts, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds: the health benefits of a plant-based diet and lifestyle.
plant-based burgers that taste like meat;
the health benefits of a plant-based diet and lifestyle.
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relating to or being a medicine, fuel, etc., made from plants or plant matter.
Etymology
Origin of plant-based
Coined in 1980 by Thomas Colin Campbell (born 1934), U.S. biochemist
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So I went ahead and swapped my normal creams containing high amounts of glycerin, aloe and other plant-based ingredients for tallow-based alternatives for a two-week period.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The results support a growing body of research showing that diet, especially plant-based compounds, can influence biological pathways involved in aging and disease.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
“I find people saying, ‘I need to make more vegetable options, more grains, more plant-based items’ and they’re often not that exciting at first,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Newer additions include Somali restaurant 7 Spices and Trio, which specializes in plant-based soul food.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
Protein makes up about a quarter of a pea, and pea protein has become an increasingly popular source of plant-based protein.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
