Semi-vegetarianism is a term used to describe diets that are not vegetarian, but include less meat than typical diets. The term has no precise or widely accepted definition, but is generally defined as the avoidance of red meat or generally following a vegetarian diet, but eating meat occasionally. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with "flexitarianism".

Semi-vegetarian and flexitarian have been dubbed "problematic" and "diametrically opposed to vegetarianism" by critics.

Types

Flexitarians avoid, but occasionally eat, meat. 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".

Pollotarians eat chicken and other poultry, but not red meat.

Pescetarians eat fish and seafood, but not red meat or poultry.