vegan

noun

veg·​an ˈvē-gən How to pronounce vegan (audio)
also
ˈvā- How to pronounce vegan (audio)
also
ˈve-jən How to pronounce vegan (audio)
or
-ˌjan How to pronounce vegan (audio)
: a strict vegetarian who consumes no food (such as meat, eggs, or dairy products) that comes from animals
also : one who abstains from using animal products (such as leather)
vegan adjective
vegan desserts
a vegan restaurant

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 vegan 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.
Any vegan vitamin D supplement should be appropriately marked on the label. Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 20 June 2025 Turned out a quick-service, delivery-friendly, vegan taco shop was exactly the kind of eatery that health-conscious, socially distanced Angelenos craved during the pandemic. John McDermott, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2025 Neil Young: homemade vegan patty, hydroponic sprouts, beefsteak tomato and avocado and green goddess dressing. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 June 2025 While some of that energy is still present—not least in the vegan cafés and boho fashions sold at the island’s market and local stores—Formentera has become significantly more high brow in recent years. Isabelle Kliger, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for vegan

Word History

Etymology

by contraction from vegetarian entry 1

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vegan was in 1944

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vegan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vegan. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

vegan

noun
veg·​an ˈvē-gən How to pronounce vegan (audio)
: a strict vegetarian who does not use animals or dairy products for food
vegan adjective
veganism noun

Medical Definition

vegan

noun
: a strict vegetarian who consumes no animal food or dairy products
vegan adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on vegan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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