Veggie
/ˈvɛdʒi/noun
Informal term for a vegetable or vegetarian food.
Did you know?“Veggie” is a modern clipped form of “vegetable,” and its ancestor ultimately traces back to Latin vegetabilis, meaning “growing, enlivening” — a word tied to life force, not just salad.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
Latin
vegetabilis
“growing, enlivening; capable of growth”
14th Century
English
vegetable
“a plant or plant-like living thing”
18th Century
English
vegetable
“a plant used as food”
20th Century
English
veggie
“informal clipped form of vegetable or vegetarian food”
Explore more surprising origins