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

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

The beautifully photographed book opens with an endorsement of entomophagy from no less than former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, who suggests feeding some of the dishes to politicians.

From Washington Post • Apr. 14, 2014