entomophagy

American  

[en-tuh-mof-uh-jee] / ˌɛn təˈmɒf ə dʒi /

noun

1. the use of insects for food, especially by humans and as a regular part of the diet.

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Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• entomophagous adjective

Etymology

Origin of entomophagy

First recorded in 1875–80; entomo- ( def. ) + -phagy ( def. )

Example Sentences

They were learning about entomophagy — the human consumption of insects — from Lisa Sanchez, a naturalist with the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation, who has taught the practice for 25 years.

From Washington Post • Nov. 27, 2022

People have practiced entomophagy, or bug eating, for millennia, and some government agencies—including the European Food Safety Authority—have already deemed yellow mealworms safe for human consumption.

From Science Magazine • Feb. 2, 2022

During the talk that preceded the taste test, Gordon made the case for entomophagy - the practice of eating insects - in the U.S.

From Washington Times • Jan. 21, 2020

During the talk that preceded the taste test, Gordon made the case for entomophagy — the practice of eating insects — in the U.S.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2020

Instead, those who champion entomophagy are trying to smuggle bugs past our defenses, often ground into a blandly inoffensive, uniform powder.

From New York Times • Sep. 7, 2018