flexitarian
flexitarian — noun
- flexitariansingular
- flexitariansplural
1. a person who chooses to eat mostly plant-based meals but does not completely avo
a person who chooses to eat mostly plant-based meals but does not completely avoid meat or fish, eating them only occasionally
Alessia, a flexitarian, eats vegetable curries all week but orders chicken when eating out.
noun phrase: 'a flexitarian' describing a person's dietary identity
As a flexitarian, Diego cooks bean dishes all week and orders beef tacos only on Saturdays.
prepositional phrase: 'as a flexitarian' expressing dietary identity
The staff canteen introduced tofu and bean dishes to appeal to flexitarians in the office.
Joaquín became a flexitarian after watching a documentary on the environmental cost of meat.
- semi-vegetarian
more formal and less common in everyday speech; describes the same eating pattern
- reducetarian
a newer term (coined around 2015) that focuses on reduction of meat for ethical reasons rather than flexibility
- vegetarian
completely excludes meat and fish from the diet
- vegan
excludes all animal products including dairy and eggs
用法筆記
Coined from 'flexible' + 'vegetarian'. Unlike vegetarians or vegans, flexitarians do occasionally eat meat or fish. The term emphasises reduction and flexibility rather than complete exclusion.
常見錯誤
flexitarian — adjective
- flexitarianpositive
- more flexitariancomparative
- most flexitariansuperlative
1. describing a way of eating that is mostly plant-based but includes meat or fish
describing a way of eating that is mostly plant-based but includes meat or fish on occasion, rather than following a strict vegetarian or vegan rule
Hamza follows a flexitarian diet — bean stews most nights and steak on his birthday.
adjective + noun: 'flexitarian diet' is the most common collocation
The flexitarian lifestyle appeals to people who want to reduce meat without quitting entirely.
adjective + noun: 'flexitarian lifestyle'
Eve's flexitarian meal plan includes tofu stir-fries on weekdays and grilled chicken at weekend gatherings.
More supermarkets now label their ready meals as suitable for a flexitarian diet.
- semi-vegetarian
more formal and less common; can also describe the same eating pattern
- plant-forward
a broader term that emphasises plants as the main focus without specifying meat allowance
- strictly vegetarian
fully plant-based with no meat allowance
- carnivorous
meat-heavy diet at the opposite end of the spectrum
用法筆記
Attributive only — used directly before a noun (diet, lifestyle, meal plan, recipe, option). Not used predicatively ('This meal is flexitarian' is rare; instead say 'This meal suits a flexitarian diet').