/vej'i tair"ee euhn/ , n.
1. a person who does not eat or does not believe in eating meat, fish, fowl, or, in some cases, any food derived from animals, as eggs or cheese, but subsists on vegetables, fruits, nuts, grain, etc.
adj.
2. of or pertaining to vegetarianism or vegetarians.
3. devoted to or advocating this practice.
4. consisting solely of vegetables: vegetarian vegetable soup. Cf. lacto-ovo-vegetarian, lactovegetarian, vegan .
[ 1835-45; VEGET(ABLE) + -ARIAN ]