vege

Vege is an informal English term with multiple possible meanings, depending on region and context. It is most often a shortened form of the word vegetable and is used in casual speech to refer to vegetables in general. In this sense, the plural form veges is common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English, as in phrases like “eat your vege” or “fresh vege market.”

In some contexts, vege also serves as shorthand for a vegetarian person or diet, particularly in Australia and New Zealand. However, this usage is less universal than the vegetable sense, and they are often distinguished by terms such as veggie (more common for the vegetarian person) or by specifying lacto-vegetarian, vegan, or other dietary labels when precision is needed.

Etymology and usage notes: vege derives from the longer word vegetable and represents a clipped, informal form that has circulated in casual speech for many years. Its exact meaning tends to be understood from context, and it remains more common in certain dialects and regions than in formal writing.

In contemporary usage, vege appears in menus, recipes, and marketing aimed at casual audiences, particularly in countries where the term is standard in everyday speech. It is distinct from but related to related terms like vegetables and vegetarianism, and readers should rely on context to determine whether vege refers to produce or to a vegetarian person or diet.