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vegetarianism

[vej-i-tair-ee-uh-niz-uh m]
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noun

the beliefs or practices of a vegetarian.

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Where did the word “vegan” come from?There are, of course, many ethical and health controversies surrounding vegetarianism in all its different forms, but we wanted to know – where did the words come from? Who invented “veganism”? Vegetarianism has been around for a very long time. Some historians date it back to Ancient Greek philosophers, and religious sects of Buddhism and Hinduism have encouraged vegetarianism for hundreds of years. However, the …
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Origin of vegetarianism

First recorded in 1850–55; vegetarian + -ism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for vegetarianism

British Dictionary definitions for vegetarianism

vegetarianism

noun

the principle or practice of excluding all meat and fish, and sometimes, in the case of vegans, all animal products (such as eggs, cheese, etc) from one's diet
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for vegetarianism
n.

1851, from vegetarian + -ism.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for vegetarianism

vegetarianism

[vĕj′ĭ-târ′ē-ə-nĭz′əm]

n.

The practice of subsisting on a diet composed primarily or wholly of vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, and seeds, with or without eggs and dairy products.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.