vegetarian

1 of 2

noun

veg·​e·​tar·​i·​an ˌve-jə-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce vegetarian (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Nguyen was a vegetarian at the time, and the pair chatted about herbal tea and other homeopathic remedies. Reia Li, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025 Her dad is a vegetarian but eats fish and eggs, while her mom eats turkey and chicken but no pork or beef. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The brunch scene here offers a dizzying array of options: stylish bistros serving artisan cocktails alongside eggs Benedict, Instagram-worthy cafés and bakeries, and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 29 Aug. 2025 While Benson keeps her children on a mostly vegan and vegetarian diet, Williams regularly ate fast food and snacks and spent more time away from his family. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vegetarian

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of vegetarian was in 1841

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Cite this Entry

“Vegetarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vegetarian. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

vegetarian

1 of 2 noun
veg·​e·​tar·​i·​an ˌvej-ə-ˈter-ē-ən How to pronounce vegetarian (audio)
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

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 How to pronounce vegetarian (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on vegetarian

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