If I called a vegetarian a herbivore..

Question

Would they be offended?

Answer 1

Well, considering that there is a vegan magazine and clothing company called Herbivore, you can rest assured that some veg*ns do feel comfortable with the term.

Biologically I am, of course, an omnivore.  But I eat only plants and the odd bit of fungi, so I can't see how calling me an herbivore could be deemed offensive.  Depends on the delivery, I guess.

Answer 2

no i would not. i take pride in the fact that i don't eat meat.

Answer 3

Some, maybe. But I think for the most part they wouldn't give it a second thought.

Answer 4

An animal that feeds chiefly on plants.

That's the definition..

I'm a vegetarian I don't feed chiefly on plants. Tofu, beans, berries, etc... yes plants are a big part but not the majority of what I eat.

So it's not always true for one..

And some would be offended.. I wouldn't really be offended but I don't know.. It's not true always so why say it?

Answer 5

I would not actually be offended. I would be more honored. I consider it respect because you are agnolaging(sorry bad speller, can't find correct spelling at dictionary.com)that I am different, but not in a bad way. I would just ask the person who you would be calling a herbivore(if you are going to call someone one), and make sure the person is close enough to you.  

Answer 6

Vegetarians are omnivores that eat an herbivorous diet or a diet that is freakishly unnatural due to the inclusion of another species' mammalian secretions.

I can't think of a reason why it would offend anyone, it just may be scientifically inaccurate.

Answer 7

I'm an omnivore myself, and one often speaks of pescivores, locavores (a newly coined word that means people who eat mostly locally grown food) and so on. So I see nothing intrinsically pejorative about the word.

Answer 8

A herbivore refers to an animal that only eats vegetation..not a human.

Answer 9

I'm a vegetarian I wouldn't be offended.

There is the magazine Herbivore & "herbivore" buttons that vegetarians/vegans wear.

By the way, is that Christina Scabbia in your icon? I love her!

Answer 10

An animal which is called a herbivore isn't quiet the same as a human.  As human don't eat moss etc.  Also the best way is to ask the person if they mind you calling them that is the best way to go about it.  Ask them nicely, so they don't get offended.

Answer 11

I've been called a herbivore before, and I didn't think it was offensive. It's the truth, seeing as I only eat plant foods.

One time I called someone who ate meat and meat-eater (no offense intented) and they got ridiculously offended, saying that even 5 year olds can say omnivore. So then I called someone else who ate meat an omnivore (again, wasn't supposed to be offensive, It was when I was just using it as a general term). But that person was extremely annoyed. And when I called someone else a carnivore (when they were trying to throw meat at me) and they completely exploded. So now I just don't call anyone anything.

Answer 12

Well it may not offend but it won't be completely accurate for many since they eat eggs and dairy. that's why calling those who eat meat  "carnivore" is not acceptable because it is not all that accurate either.

Answer 13

I should hope not; it's an accurate definition, unless they're the pseudo-herbivores who eat fish.

Even Tofu, to some folks surprise, is a plant product (it's SOY, people.) and hence fits into the herbivore definition.  Even milk, rennet-free cheese and unfertilized eggs are not out of bounds when you consider that the dairy is from an ungulant animal, but there is no meat involved, just biologically processed vegetable matter, and the eggs never "made it" to "meat-dom."

Vegans might be the safer target of the definition, however.

Answer 14

personally i would not be offend, saying that i was a vegetarian "which im not" so i would do it, and if the take it seriously then tell them to p**s off

Answer 15

predation in which an organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally autotrophs[1] such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, some protists and a small number of parasitic plants can be considered herbivores. However, herbivory is generally restricted to animals eating plants.

The above article is about plant-based diets for organisms in general. For human diets that exclude meat, see Vegetarianism. For human diets that exclude all animal sources, see Veganism.

My conclusion is that a human would be offended.  However if you called an animal a vegetarian I do not believe they would be offended.

Good Luck

Hot Dog

Answer 16

That's fine by me....although vegetarians are technically not herbivores, since they can consume animal products such as eggs, milk and cheese....

Answer 17

No- I call meat eaters carnivores, and I am a proud herbivore

Answer 18

I wouldn't be.  I'd be proud.  If you called me that I'd just say, "d**n skippy" and leave it at that.