vegetarian
Americannoun
adjective
-
of or relating to vegetarianism or vegetarians.
-
devoted to or advocating this practice.
-
consisting solely of vegetables.
vegetarian vegetable soup.
noun
adjective
-
relating to, advocating, or practising vegetarianism
-
cookery strictly, consisting of vegetables and fruit only, but usually including milk, cheese, eggs, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vegetarian
First recorded in 1835–45; veget(able) + -arian
Explanation
A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat any meat, including fish. Many vegetarians eat plenty of fruits and vegetables — but others subsist on pizza and mac and cheese. This is a word that has to do with diet — what people eat. Vegetarians avoid meat, usually for health reasons, for environmental reasons, or because they believe it's wrong to kill animals for food. Vegetarians will eat some animal products, like eggs and dairy, but vegans won't. Both vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming more common. Many animals are vegetarians, including our close relative, the gorilla.
Vocabulary lists containing vegetarian
Power Suffix: -arian
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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.
Her first name Tulsi is a sacred plant in Hinduism, and she is a lifelong vegetarian.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
A vegetarian, he accused Banerjee's government of failing to make Bengal self-reliant in fish.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
But he can’t stand to wear them now, especially since he’s also a vegetarian.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Being vegetarian, it’s a little challenging, but it’s a great place for us.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
“You know what they call a vegetarian in the woods?” he said to me.
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
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.
