Veggie is a friendly, informal word for vegetable. When someone says they're adding veggies to their soup or packing veggies in their lunch, they mean carrots, broccoli, peppers, or any other vegetable. You might hear a parent say “Eat your veggies!” at dinner, or see a menu offering a veggie pizza topped with mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes instead of meat.

The word feels more casual and approachable than “vegetable.” A restaurant might advertise veggie burgers (burgers made from vegetables, beans, or grains instead of meat), and kids often find it easier to say “I like veggies” than “I like vegetables.”

Sometimes veggie refers to people too. A veggie can be someone who doesn't eat meat, though the more common term is vegetarian. If someone tells you they're a veggie, they mean they don't eat meat, though they might still eat eggs, cheese, and other animal products.