Can someone define "VEG", VEGGING" etc.

In my studies, I hear this term thrown around quite a bit. ie I "VEGGED" for 2 weeks before flowering

My understanding (that in general ie - the big picture) there are 3 MAIN areas - Seedling which I have found that some say last for 3 weeks, Vegetation - which starts at week 3 and can go as long as you want it to given enough care, and flowering which can last 8-10 weeks on average but up to 12 for certain strains.

My question is - when someone says that they have been "VEGGING" for 3 weeks (talking about seed grown only NOT clones from mature plants) do they mean from the day the seed popped [3 weeks total] or 3 weeks starting at the end of the "3 week seedling stage" [6 weeks total].

I'm confused

It tends to be personal preference on here. If its a seedling I call it a seedling. I don't consider it truly vegging till it has a true set of leaves. I usually veg for 8 weeks after taking the clone and flower for 8 to 10. And remember flower actually starts after the stretch when you start showing true pistils is when I start counting. The first two weeks its usually still in veg while it stretches. After the stretch is when most plants really pack on the weight. And just for info, where you said 8-10 and some around 12 that's not completely true. To avoid you chopping early keep in mind that some pure sativas and more sativa dominant can run considerably longer than a 12 week flower. Some equatorial sativas can flower for as long as 17 to 22 weeks depending on strain to be fully finished.

I would also say that seedlings are really in "veg" about a week after sprouting, once they have their first sets of true leaves. My clones are similarly in "veg" once they are fully rooted, shortly after transplanting into medium.

Thanks everybody - it's a little easier to understand the timeline now.

usually to have a clone from a seed it takes about 2 weeks but in my case it takes 3 weeks because i germinate the seeds in the flour room
to have bigger roots
then i start the clone in one gallon nursery pot for two weeks more then i transfer it to 7 gallons nursery pot and i keep it 6 to 8 weeks in the veggie room
so total time in the veggie 2 to 2,5 months (depends about the strain )
after that i move my plants to the flouring room it take 57 to 60 days for the flouring for most strains some though needs few days more
i did that for three years so far
only one time and one plant took 70 days to harvest when her sisters from the same strain took 63 days to harvest
WHY ? i have no ideas

"Veg" is any light schedule that is not "flower".

Noobs use that "seedling interim stage is not veg" loophole to make it seem like they took less time to grow a plant out than they actually did.

K.I.S.S.