The word 'vegan' is a modern English coinage, created in 1944 by Donald Watson, co-founder of The Vegan Society. It was formed by taking the beginning and end of the word 'vegetarian', signifying that veganism begins with vegetarianism but carries it through to its logical conclusion. The core element 'veg' directly references 'vegetable', highlighting the plant-based foundation of the diet and philosophy. The suffix '-an' denotes a person adhering to this practice, creating a concise and distinctive term for a lifestyle excluding all animal exploitation.

Structure: veg (vegetable) + an (person associated with) - 'veg' is a clipping of the English word 'vegetable', derived from Latin 'vegetabilis' meaning "animating, enlivening". - 'an' is an English suffix forming nouns meaning "one who is associated with or practices", from Latin '-anus'.