As pescatarian diets start to gain in popularity, the question of what exactly they entail is bound to become more complex. Such is the case with this quandary – can you eat other seafood-based animals besides fish while being properly pescatarian?

A New Dieting World (and Word)

Part of the confusion over this dietary definition is that the definition itself is relatively new, with Merriam-Webster dating its usage to just 1991. That same definition points out that “pescatarian” comes from the Italian word for fish, “pesce,” which itself comes from Latin’s “piscis.” If you’ve ever wondered why the astrological sign “Pisces” is two fish, you now have your answer.

Different Interpretations

However, that leaves the question of eating other types of seafood such as shellfish and gators while “pescatarian” unclear. A strict etymologist might argue that “pescatarian” being connected to “pesce/piscis” and thus just “fish” might mean that the answer is no. Other definitions, however, include shellfish without any qualms about it, basically equating “pescatarian” with (presumably non-mammalian) “seafood.”

As for gators, that’s also up to interpretation and given their higher cognitive faculties than your average fish or shrimp, more pescatarians might balk at that. Still, for what it’s worth, at least some Catholics have sanctioned gator as seafood for Lent. Ultimately, “pescatarian” is a new definition and it’s up to you to build your own. ;text=Accordin