Aren’t “Vegetarians” and “Non-Vegetarians” the most incorrect terms to be used for the type of food habit they actually mean?
Vegetarian means people who can eat vegetarian food, or in other terms vegetables or things grown on plants. However that’s not the actual intent of the word. The word, actually, is a comparative word, used to differentiate itself from the people who would eat flesh. If we go by that meaning, a better and more correct word would be “non-flesh-eaters” or something synonymous, more soothing to the ears.
Likewise if we take the literal meaning of the term “Non-Vegetarians” it would signify people who don’t eat vegetarian food or vegetables or anything grown on plants, which is incorrect. They do eat vegetarian food. They also eat “flesh of animals”. That way they should actually be called “Flesh-eaters” or something synonymous, sounding lesser gore.
And then, if you go by food habits of a few culturally diverse countries like India, we may also need words to depict food habits of people who eat vegetarian food and eggs but no flesh, and also people who eat vegetarian food and fish but no flesh of animals.