vegetarian

1 of 2

noun

veg·​e·​tar·​i·​an ˌve-jə-ˈter-ē-ən 

1

: a person who does not eat meat : someone whose diet consists wholly of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and sometimes eggs or dairy products

2

: herbivore

vegetarian

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or suitable for vegetarians

a vegetarian restaurant

2

: not containing meat : consisting wholly of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and sometimes eggs or dairy products

a vegetarian diet

vegetarian lunch

Did you know?

The Difference Between Vegetarian, Vegan, and Other Diets

The word vegetarian sprouted up in 1839. Fruitarian ("a person who lives on fruit") ripened by 1893. In 1944, vegetarians who consume no animal or dairy products began calling themselves vegans. Then, in 1993, those who eat fish but no other meat chose pesce, the Italian word for "fish," to create the designation pescatarian. In that same year, meatatarian was served up as a word for those whose diet largely includes meat; that word is rare, however, and is usually used in informal and humorous ways, making it the type of fare not included in our dictionaries. Another fairly recent dietary word is flexitarian, a person who follows a mostly vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish.

Examples of vegetarian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Beef tallow or not, vegetarian fries are hard to come by For vegetarians and vegans, the conversation about beef tallow and seed oils further highlights the challenges of finding fries that will work with their dietary needs. —Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2025

For vegans and vegetarians, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens such as bok choy and kale provide solid calcium options. —Melanie Curry, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Adjective

It’s gotten to the point that many of my favorite meals are vegetarian. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

Chapters on mezze and soups are predominantly vegetarian, with the meat and seafood corralled mostly into the mains. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

veget(able) entry 1 + -arian

First Known Use

Noun

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vegetarian

• lacto-ovo vegetarian
• lacto-vegetarian
• ovo-lacto vegetarian

Rhymes for vegetarian

• antiquarian
• libertarian
• millenarian
• nonsectarian
• proletarian
• sanitarian
• trinitarian
• unitarian
• veterinarian
• agrarian
• aquarian
• barbarian

Kids Definition

vegetarian

1 of 2 noun

veg·​e·​tar·​i·​an ˌvej-ə-ˈter-ē-ən 

1

: a person who refrains from eating meat and lives on a diet made up of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and sometimes eggs or dairy products

2

: herbivore

vegetarian

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to vegetarians

2

: consisting wholly of vegetables

a vegetarian diet

Medical Definition

vegetarian

1 of 2 noun

veg·​e·​tar·​i·​an ˌvej-ə-ˈter-ē-ən 

: an individual who believes in or practices vegetarianism

vegetarian

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to vegetarians

2

: consisting wholly of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and sometimes eggs or dairy products

a vegetarian diet