Vegetarianism
Abstention from meat, rooted in ethics, health, and religion.
Vegetarianism means not eating meat—this includes red meat, poultry, seafood, freshwater fish, insects, and any other animal flesh. It can also mean avoiding all by-products that come from slaughtering animals. Someone who follows this practice is called a vegetarian. People choose vegetarianism for many reasons: out of respect for animals that can feel pain, for health, political beliefs, environmental concerns, cultural traditions, aesthetic views, economic factors, taste, or other personal preferences. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 list a healthy vegetarian eating pattern as one of three recommended options, alongside the Healthy U.S.-Style and Healthy Mediterranean-Style patterns.
A few towns and cities worldwide are entirely vegetarian or have banned meat—for example, Rishikesh in India outlawed meat, fish, and eggs in 1956. Many more places are vegetarian-friendly, while in others it can be hard to find vegetarian food. There are several types of vegetarian diets: a lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products, an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs, and a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet includes both. All of these allow honey. The strictest form, a vegan diet, excludes all animal products and may also involve avoiding animal-derived items like leather shoes and silk clothes.
Vegetarian diets can present challenges. Without eggs, dairy, or other reliable sources, vegetarians or vegans risk a vitamin B12 deficiency. Packaged and processed foods sometimes contain small amounts of animal ingredients. Some vegetarians check labels carefully for these, while others do not mind or are unaware of them.
The word "vegetarian" first appeared in writing in the early 19th century, when authors described a vegetable regimen diet. At that time, "vegetable" could mean any edible plant. Modern dictionaries trace the word to "vegetable" (adjective) plus the suffix "-arian," as in "agrarian." The term gained popularity after the Vegetarian Society was founded in Manchester in 1847, though it had been used since around 1839 for what was earlier called a vegetable regimen. The first known written use is attributed to actress, writer, and abolitionist Fanny Kemble in her *Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838–1839*. Earlier occurrences seem linked to Alcott House, a school in London opened in July 1838 by James Pierrepont Greaves. From 1841,
- first_written_use_of_term
- early 19th century
- earliest_record_of_practice
- 9th century BCE (Indian subcontinent)
- earliest_reliable_Greek_evidence
- 6th century BCE
- key_associated_figure
- Pythagoras (ancient Greece)
- first_vegetarian_society
- Vegetarian Society, Manchester, 1847
- strictest_form
- vegan diet
Lore & Background
The first written use of the term 'vegetarian' originated in the early 19th century, referring to a vegetable regimen diet. It was popularized with the foundation of the Vegetarian Society in Manchester in 1847, though it had been in use since around 1839. The earliest occurrences of the term seem related to Alcott House, a school opened in July 1838 by James Pierrepont Greaves, which from 1841 was known as A Concordium, or Industry Harmony College, and published the pamphlet The Healthian.
In the Indian subcontinent, the earliest record of vegetarianism comes from the 9th century BCE, inculcating tolerance towards all living beings. Jainism established strict vegetarianism as an absolute mandate for all followers. The ancient Indian work Tirukkuṟaḷ, dated before the 5th century CE, explicitly emphasizes shunning meat and non-killing. In the 12th century, Jain scholar Hemachandra converted King Kumarapala of the Chaulukya dynasty, who issued imperial edicts banning animal slaughter across his kingdom. In the 16th century, Jain monk Hiravijaya Suri persuaded Mughal Emperor Akbar to issue edicts enforcing animal welfare.
In ancient Greece, vegetarianism had medical or ritual purification purposes, with the earliest reliable evidence from the 6th century BCE. The Orphics practiced and promoted vegetarianism. Pythagoras may have practiced vegetarianism, though he is also recorded as eating meat. A fictionalized portrayal of Pythagoras in Ovid's Metamorphoses advocates strict vegetarianism, and before the coinage of 'vegetarianism', vegetarians were referred to in English as 'Pythagoreans'.
Reader's Guide
Vegetarianism has a long and varied history, with its earliest recorded practice in the 9th century BCE in the Indian subcontinent, closely tied to the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) in Jainism and other Indian philosophies. The Jain tradition, through figures like Neminatha, Hemachandra, and Hiravijaya Suri, established vegetarianism as a universal ethical baseline and achieved state-enforced bans on animal slaughter. In ancient Greece, vegetarianism was associated with religious movements like Orphism and the figure of Pythagoras, though its practice was not universal. The term 'vegetarian' itself is a modern coinage from the early 19th century, popularized by the Vegetarian Society in 1847.
Today, vegetarianism encompasses many variations, from lacto-ovo diets to strict veganism, and is adopted for ethical, health, environmental, and personal reasons. It is recognized as a healthy dietary pattern by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025. However, vegetarians may face nutritional challenges, particularly regarding vitamin B12, depending on their diet. The practice has also influenced food culture globally, with some towns like Rishikesh, India, banning meat, and vegetarian-friendly cities existing worldwide. The legacy of vegetarianism is its enduring role as a dietary and ethical choice that spans millennia and cultures.
Did You Know?
- The first written use of the term 'vegetarian' dates to the early 19th century, popularized by the Vegetarian Society in Manchester in 1847.
- The earliest record of vegetarianism comes from the 9th century BCE in the Indian subcontinent.
- In 675, Emperor Tenmu of Japan prohibited the killing and eating of meat during the farming period between April and September.
- A 2025 study published in Science measured nitrogen isotope ratios in fossilized teeth and determined that Australopithecus was almost entirely vegetarian.
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