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entomophagy
[ en-tuh-mof-uh-jee ]
noun
- the use of insects for food, especially by humans and as a regular part of the diet.
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Usage Note
While the term entomophagy can be used of any species that consumes insects, the issue of global food supply has drawn attention to insects as a highly available nutritional option for humans specifically, sparking a marked increase in this narrower use of the word. For the related adjective entomophagous, on the other hand, the situation is reversed: it is rarely used to describe humans. It most often designates certain insect-eating fungi, nematodes, arachnids, etc., used in agriculture or horticulture to control populations of insects regarded as pests. The more general adjective to describe insect-eating species, including many birds, small mammals, and plants, is insectivorous.
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Other Words From
- en·to·moph·a·gous [en-t, uh, -, mof, -, uh, -g, uh, s], adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of entomophagy1
First recorded in 1875–80; entomo- ( def ) + -phagy ( def )
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