Q&A
When was the term ‘vegetarian’ coined?
SHORT ANSWER
Until the mid-19th century, non-meat eaters were named after Pythagoras
LONG ANSWER
The Vegetarian Society Kent, in 1847. at may not seem like a momentous landmark – seeing as people all over the world had been going meat-free since antiquity – but it may have been a name-changer for the veggie-only crowd. at society is commonly cited as giving root to the term ‘vegetarian’. Before then, those who didn’t eat meat were usually referred to their diets as ‘Pythagorean’ after the ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagoras. Now best known for his triangle theorem taught in mathematics, he enjoyed a long reputation, perhaps erroneously, for adhering to a strict vegetarian diet.