What does "vegetarian" mean?
A person who does not eat animal flesh, or, in some cases, use any animal products.
Vegetarian
/vɛ.d͡ʒɪˈtɛə.ɹi.ən/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who does not eat animal flesh, or, in some cases, use any animal products.
- Grammar: vegetarian is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abstainer, abstemious, abstinent, apostolic.
- Useful contrasts: cannibalistic, meat-based, amoral.
- Usage evidence: I'm a vegetarian, so I'd rather not have meat, if that's okay.
How to use "vegetarian"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "vegetarian" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "vegetarian" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "vegetarian" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "vegetarian" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "vegetarian" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abstainer" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "vegetarian", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who does not eat animal flesh, or, in some cases, use any animal products.
""The sight and smell of raw meat are especially odious to me, and I have often thought that if I had had to be my own cook, I should inevitably become a vegetarian, probably, indeed, return entirely to my green and salad days.""
- 2 Obsolete spelling of vegetarian. alt-of, obsolete, uncountable, usually
"“I must preface this essay by the confession that I am myself a Vegetarian, and that I mean to say all the good I can of the principles of Vegetarianism.”"
- 3 eater of fruits and grains and nuts; someone who eats no meat or fish or (often) any animal products wordnet
- 4 An animal that eats only plants; a herbivore.
Adjective
- 1 Of or relating to the type of diet eaten by vegetarians (in all senses).
"Must we not put to death blackbirds and thrushes because they feed on worms, or (if capital punishment offends our humanitarianism) starve them slowly by permanent captivity and vegetarian diet?"
- 2 Without meat.
- 3 Of a product normally made with meat, having non-meat substitutes in place of meat.
"Is there such a thing as a good tasting vegetarian hot dog? Cuz every one I've tried tasted like smelted tire."
- 4 That does not eat meat.
"I have a vegetarian brother"
Adjective
- 1 not containing meat wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"I'm a vegetarian, so I'd rather not have meat, if that's okay."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "vegetarian"?
Common synonyms include: abstainer, abstemious, abstinent, apostolic, apostolici, ascetic.
How do you use "vegetarian" in a sentence?
I'm a vegetarian, so I'd rather not have meat, if that's okay.
How do you pronounce "vegetarian"?
Pronounced /vɛ.d͡ʒɪˈtɛə.ɹi.ən/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From vegetable + -arian; popularized following 1847 foundation of British Vegetarian Society.
Etymology 2
From vegetable + -arian; popularized following 1847 foundation of British Vegetarian Society. (Alternatively, it may derive from vegetus + -arian.)