vegetarianism

American  

[vej-i-tair-ee-uh-niz-uhm] / ˌvɛdʒ ɪˈtɛər i əˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. the beliefs or practices of a vegetarian.

---

vegetarianism British  

/ ˌvɛdʒɪˈtɛərɪəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. 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

---

Etymology

Origin of vegetarianism

First recorded in 1850–55; vegetarian + -ism

Explanation

Do you enjoy veggie burgers, pasta primavera, and bean burritos but skip the beef, chicken, and fish? Then you're a proponent of vegetarianism, the practice of not eating meat. Vegetarianism is all about what someone chooses to include in their diet. A vegetarian doesn't eat meat or fish, and sometimes abstains from animal products like eggs as well. You might be interested in vegetarianism for health reasons or because you're concerned about animal welfare. Before the words vegetarian and vegetarianism were coined in the 19th century, people following this diet were referred to as anti-carnivorous.

Example Sentences

Vegetarianism “became more focused on improvement of the individual ... and gained a significant amount of social cachet,” said Shprintzen, who added that decades would pass before it evolved into an emblem of the counterculture.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 13, 2024

Vegetarianism was practiced as early as the fifth century B.C. in India, and it is strongly linked with a number of religious traditions worldwide, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2023

Vegetarianism is a perfectly common and healthy diet with an ancient history, although it’s possible to eat an unhealthy vegetarian diet just as it’s possible to eat an unhealthy omnivorous diet.

From Slate • Jan. 4, 2021

Vegetarianism would be the right choice but I really, really love meat.

From The Guardian • Jun. 16, 2018

Vegetarianism and reincarnation are in the air, but that’s taking it too far.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood