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

Elvi's Kitchen is now a favorite with locals and tourists alike for dishes like fresh fish in a Mayan adobo sauce and even unique vegan and vegetarian dishes like coconut ceviche and curry. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2025

How Long Vegetarian Leftovers Really Last When cooled quickly in shallow containers and stored properly, vegetarian leftovers can safely last about three to four days in the fridge. —Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2025

Adjective

Plus, the turkeys are free range and fed a vegetarian diet, according to the retailer’s website. —Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025

Elsewhere in the vegetarian category, the knödel and champignons ($14) stand out for their sheer vegetal bulk, and the käsespätzle ($14), while not massive, is deeply satisfying. —Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 21 Nov. 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