What is the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan?

This is at least the second time within 24 hours this has been asked and it has been asked probably 100s of times (usually with poor answers). However I will answer again:

Vegetarians start not eating any meat (including fish and poultry) and slaughter by-products (gelatin, rennet, lard, bone char are some good examples) whatsoever and can go all the way up too not eating any animal products whatsoever (aka strict/pure vegetarian or what some people falsely consider veganism)

Some vegetarians will eat eggs or dairy or both. Also some might not wear leather or fur or use products made from animals but have not made the full step towards veganism.

"The word 'veganism' denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to end the idea of animals as property and exclude all forms of intentional exploitation of, use of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, research or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, including humans and the environment.

In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

Veganism is not a diet or just avoiding leather or stuff tested on animals but an entire idea and philosophy that animals don't exist for our use and are not our property and we must eliminate our intentional use of them. It is also the process of unlearning speciesist thought and not using words like "it" and "thing" to describe animals. Veganism is a constant learning process rather than a destination.

In a nutshell:

Vegetarians don't eat animals.

Vegans don't use animals.

Vegetarianism is mainly a diet. A person is a vegetarian if they don't eat any part of any animal. Someone can wear leather or wool, use glue or cosmetics containing parts of animals or tested on animals, have animals work for them (think of a horse pulling a carriage) etc. and still be a vegetarian.

Veganism is mainly a lifestyle. No leather, no wool, no honey, no animal testing, no working animals, nothing that uses animals.

There are of course shades of grey. Some vegetarians, like vegans, will not eat eggs or dairy, and some - following from the same morals that prompted them to become vegetarians - will not wear leather or use anything else an animal has to die for. Some vegans won't own pets, other may and see them as animal companions or members of the family instead of property. Also some vegans will use animal products if they are 100% sure the animals were not exploited (for instance eggs from the chickens in one's own back yard). Most vegans will use necessary medication even though it has been tested on animals.

In that sense there is a blurry line between vegetarianism and veganism. Some vegetarians have vegan tendencies, some vegans have vegetarian tendencies. The line between vegetarianism/veganism and non-vegetarianism/veganism is sharp: No animals are eaten. Someone who eats fish or chicken but not other kinds of animals is never a vegetarian, no matter what they call themselves.

vegetarian people don't eat meat, but usually still eat cheese and eggs and such if they want to

vegans can't eat anything that comes from an animal/is a product of an animal. everything they eat needs to come from a plant or other type of non-animal source. vegans have a much more sensitive stomach than a vegetarian because vegetarians are still used to products in animals while vegans are not. vegans need to be careful not to eat anything with animal products in it because they can get an upset stomach and sometimes puke. same goes for vegetarians sometimes, just not as extreme.

A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat where as a vegan is someone that avoids using or consuming any animal products. Vegans avoid any dairy and eggs, and sometimes even clothing from animals or cosmetics tested on animals.

Vegetarians can/may eat animal products like cheese or milk, but not an actual animal (beef, chicken, fish). Vegans on the other hand will not eat any animal products.

Vegans are a lot more strict than vegetarians about what they eat. Vegan diets contain no meat or animal bi-products like cheese. Vegans eat a lot of salad, beans, nuts, etc. to get their daily intake of proteins. They also use vitamins to keep their diet healthy

A vegan is a type of vegetarian that does not consume anything that comes from an animal.

No meats, no crab meats, no fish meats, no chicken meats, no milk, no cheese, no eggs, no honey.

From Wikipedia:

Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets (fruits, vegetables, etc.), with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat (red meat, poultry, and seafood). Abstention from by-products of animal slaughter, such as animal-derived rennet and gelatin, may also be practiced.

Veganism is the personal practice of eliminating the use of non-human animal products. Ethical vegans reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, while dietary vegans or strict vegetarians eliminate them from their diet only

There are different types of vegetarians. Ovo vegetarians don't eat animal flesh or dairy products but they eat eggs. Lacto vegetarians consume dairy products but no animal flesh or eggs.Vegans don't consume anything to do with animals such as flesh, honey, milk, egg, etc. Hope this helps :)

Vegetarians (proper term lacto-ovo vegetarian) eat no meat including fish and poultry, but they eat other animals, and some wear animal products. Vegan is a lifestyle where you use no animal products (leather, silk, pearls etc) and eat no meat or animal bi-products (eggs, dairy, milk, honey).