coprophagous

[kuh-prof-uh-guhs]

adjective

1. feeding on dung, as certain beetles.

coprophagous

/ kɒˈprɒfəɡəs /

adjective

1. (esp of certain beetles) feeding on dung

Other Word Forms

• coprophagia noun
• coprophagist noun
• coprophagy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of coprophagous¹

First recorded in 1820–30; copro- + -phagous

Example Sentences

The moths’ caterpillars are coprophagous or, to put it more bluntly, consumers of excrement.

Read more on New York Times

He's drollest in his early scenes as the consummate loser with a coprophagous grin--a character perilously close to Rob Schneider's needy-nerdy copy-machine guy on Saturday Night Live years ago.

Read more on Time Magazine Archive

Associated words: coprophagy, coprophagous, Augean, dungmeer, excrementitious, sterconst, sterconcolous, stercoraceous, bubulin. dupe, n. gull, cully, gudgeon, dotterel, victim. duplicate, a. double, twofold, duplex.--n. facsimile, counterpart.

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