Summary: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 13, 2014 is: freegan \FREE-gun\ noun : an activist who scavenges for free food (as in waste receptacles at stores and restaurants) as a means of reducing consumption of resources Examples: Josh is a vocal anti-consumerist who lives as a freegan and works to develop community gardens in urban settings. "Sarah is ambitious and disciplined, and she lies to her boyfriend that she's off to Dubai on assignment when she's actually hopping U.S. freight trains, Dumpster diving and hanging with freegans in order to track down the elusive anarchist collective." Claudia Puig, Detroit Free Press, June 14, 2013 Did you know? "Freegan" is a blend of the adjective "free" (in the sense of "not costing or charging anything") and "vegan," which developed in the mid-20th century to denote a vegetarian who not only avoids meat but other animal products, such as eggs and dairy, as well. While freegans are not necessarily vegans, the portmanteau "freegan" was likely influenced by the fact that both vegans and freegans often see their diets as an expression of anti-consumerism, concern for the impact of food production on the environment, and concern over the ethics of using animals for food.
