vleesloze

Vleesloze is a Dutch adjective meaning “without meat” or “meatless.” It describes foods, diets, or practices that do not include meat. In everyday use, speakers often prefer zonder vlees or vegetarisch, but vleesloze appears in culinary writing, ethical discussions, and formal descriptions of menus or nutrition guidelines.

Origin and form: The word combines vlees (meat) with the suffix -loze, meaning “without” or “devoid of.” When placed before a noun, the standard attributive form is vleesloze, as in vleesloze maaltijd.

Usage and nuance: Vleesloze is useful for precise or formal descriptions of meat-free options. It emphasizes the absence of meat rather than a broader dietary label. In casual speech, people more commonly say zonder vlees or vegetarisch. The term often appears in menus, recipe collections, or policy texts dealing with sustainable eating, animal welfare, or religious dietary practices.

Cultural and linguistic notes: In Dutch, vleesloze tends to carry a formal or culinary tone and is less common in everyday conversation than its alternatives. It can also appear in discussions about food systems, nutrition guidelines, and environmental impact, where specificity about meat absence is relevant.

See also: Vegetarianism, Veganism, Meatless diet, Dutch cuisine, Sustainability.