Flexitarian
Entry in progress—B.P.
Wiktionary: Flexitarian
Etymology
Blend of flexible and vegetarian.
Adjective
flexitarian (comparative more flexitarian, superlative most flexitarian)
1. (of a person) Being a flexitarian.
2. (of food, a diet, or the like) Being what a flexitarian might eat.
Noun
flexitarian (plural flexitarians)
1. One who is usually or primarily vegetarian, but who is not strictly so.
Usage notes
. This term is sometimes used pejoratively by strict vegetarians.
. Many strict vegetarians dislike this term, believing that one is either vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
Wikipedia: Flexitarianism
Flexitarianism is a semi-vegetarian diet focusing on vegetarian food with occasional meat consumption. A self-described flexitarian seeks to decrease meat consumption without eliminating it entirely from his or her diet. There are no guidelines for how much or how little meat one must eat before being classified a flexitarian. Flexitarian is distinguished from polpescetarian, i.e., one who eats only chicken and fish, but does so exclusively.
In 2003, the American Dialect Society voted flexitarian as the year’s most useful word and defined it as “a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat”.
Origin of term
The earliest known use of the term “flexitarian” occurred in the October 17, 1992, issue of the Austin American-Statesman. In this issue, reporter Linda Anthony wrote an article titled, “Acorn serves up ‘flexitarian fare’”. The article discussed the recent opening of the new Acorn Café and stated that owner Helga Morath calls her fare “flexitarian”.
Word Spy
flexitarian
(fleks.uh.TAYR.ee.un) n. A person who eats a mostly vegetarian diet, but who is also willing to eat meat or fish occasionally. —adj. (Flexible + vegetarian.)
(...)
Earliest Citation:
Dining on the Drag is typically a boisterous event. But the recently opened Acorn Cafe offers diners an oasis of calm, an eclectic menu and a respite for their wallets.
The quiet cafe, tucked behind a 7-Eleven at 26th and Guadalupe streets, features what chef-owner Helga Morath calls “flexitarian fare.” That’s her way of describing health/vegetarian food prepared with a Continental cast.
—Linda Anthony, “Acorn serves up `flexitarian fare’,” Austin American-Statesman, October 17, 1992
Urban Dictionary
1. flexitarian
some one who essentially eats just vegetables (as well as fish, eggs & milk) who’s not too uptight about eating meat ocaisionally as a matter of convenience; a lenient vegetarian
Rather than offend his hosts, he ate a good-sized portion of the spaghetti a la carbonara they offered rather than making a meal out of salad, bread & dessert. Why go hungry? I’m a flexitarian.
by Mandingoe May 27, 2004
2. flexitarian
an omnivore who maintains a predominantly plant-based diet, but continues to eat animals (including fowl and sea animals).
Although Julie eats lots of nuts, legumes, fruits, and vegetables in her daily diet, she is a self-proclaimed flexitarian who will periodically eat fish or chicken.
by Beagle Jan 5, 2005
Merriam-Webster’s Open Dictionary
flexitarian
(noun) : A vegetarian who infrequently eats things that are not standard vegetarian fare (i.e. steak, chicken, fish, etc.)
She’s really more of a flexitarian than a vegetarian because she truly enjoys the occasional piece of fried chicken.
Submitted by: Jeremy W. from Massachusetts on Apr. 25, 2007 12:31
Austin (TX) American-Statesman
Acorn serves up `flexitarian fare’
Diversified menu goes easy on budget
Author: Linda Anthony AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Date: October 17, 1992
Publication: Austin American-Statesman
Page Number: 13
Word Count: 766
Restaurant review
The Acorn Cafe
Address: 2602 Guadalupe St.
American Dialect Society
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
2003 Words of the Year
(...)
Most Useful: word or phrase which most fills a need for a new word
Winner flexitarian: noun, a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat.
New York (NY) Times
2004: IN A WORD
Flexitarians
By AMANDA HESSER
Published: December 26, 2004
Food blogs were aflutter this year over “flexitarian,” the latest word in gastronomic circles. The Macmillan English Dictionary Web site (it hasn’t made it into the Oxford English Dictionary) defines a flexitarian as “a person who consumes mainly vegetarian food, but occasionally eats meat or fish.”
That would be, in other words, the Mediterranean diet - the eating style followed for hundreds of years by people living around the Mediterranean, where vegetables and grains were a dominant part of every meal, and fish and meat a rare luxury.
Google Books
The Healthy Hedonist:
More Than 200 Delectable Flexitarian Recipes for Relaxed Daily Feasts
By Myra Kornfeld
Illustrated by Sheila Hamanaka
New York, NY: Simon and Schuster
2005
Slashfood
“Flexitarian” is so 2003
Posted Apr 29th 2006 5:59PM by Sarah J. Gim
It was a term that was coined several years ago, but I haven’t heard it being used recently. “Flexitarian” refers to a person who wants to eat vegetarian, but will occasionally eat meat. In 2003, the term was voted most useful by the American Dialect Society.
A flexitarian is a person who eats about an 80% vegetarian diet, but for whatever reason, whether health or taste or other reason, will “allow” meat. However, most flexitarians are less motivated by animal rights or other socio-econo-political reasons, and moreso by the health aspect.
Google Books
The Flexitarian Table:
Inspired, Flexible Meals for Vegetarians, Meat Lovers, and Everyone in Between
By Peter Berley
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin
2007
Google Books
The Flexitarian Diet:
The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, and Add Years to Your Life
By Dawn Jackson Blatner
Published by McGraw-Hill Professional
2008