geophagy

American  

[jee-of-uh-jee] / dʒiˈɒf ə dʒi /

Also geophagia

noun

1. the practice of eating earthy matter, especially clay or chalk, as in famine-stricken areas.

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geophagy British  

/ dʒɪˈɒfəɡəs, ˌdʒɪəˈfeɪdʒə, dʒɪˈɒfədʒɪ, dʒɪˈɒfədʒɪzəm, -dʒɪə /

noun

1. the practice of eating earth, clay, chalk, etc, found in some primitive tribes

2. zoology the habit of some animals, esp earthworms, of eating soil

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Other Word Forms

• geophagist noun
• geophagous adjective

Etymology

Origin of geophagy

First recorded in 1840–50; geo- + -phagy