polyphagia

[pol-ee-fey-jee-uh, -juh]

noun

1. Pathology.,  excessive desire to eat.

2. Zoology.,  the habit of subsisting on many different kinds of food.

polyphagia

/ ˌpɒlɪˈfeɪdʒə, pəˈlɪfəɡəs /

noun

1. 1. an abnormal desire to consume excessive amounts of food, esp as the result of a neurological disorder

   2. an insatiable appetite

2. the habit of certain animals, esp certain insects, of feeding on many different types of food

Other Word Forms

• polyphagian noun
• polyphagist noun
• polyphagous adjective
• polyphagic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyphagia¹

1685–95; < New Latin < Greek polyphagía; poly-, -phagy

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyphagia¹

C17: New Latin, from Greek, from poluphagos eating much; see _poly- , _-phagy

Example Sentences

Drake reports a curious instance of polyphagia.

From Project Gutenberg