trophallaxis

American  

[trof-uh-lak-sis, troh-fuh-] / ˌtrɒf əˈlæk sɪs, ˌtroʊ fə- /

noun

PLURAL

trophallaxes

1. (among social insects) the exchange of nutriments or other secretions between members of a colony.

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trophallaxis British  

/ ˌtrɒfəˈlæksɪs /

noun

1. the exchange of regurgitated food that occurs between adults and larvae in colonies of social insects

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Other Word Forms

• trophallactic adjective

Etymology

Origin of trophallaxis

1915–20; troph- + Greek állaxis exchange, equivalent to allak- (verbid stem of allássein to change; allo- ) + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

Worker termites feed other castes digested food in a process called trophallaxis.

From Science Magazine

The researchers trained the computer to identify a behavior called trophallaxis, in which honey bees feed their fellow workers by regurgitating food from a pouch called a crop.

From Science Magazine

About half as much trophallaxis took place with sick bees compared with normal workers.

From Science Magazine

Wheeler proposed that “trophallaxis” – a word he invented for the way insects regurgitate and share food among themselves – was the secret sauce, the superglue of societies both insect and human, and the foundation of economics.

From The Guardian

Simone Leigh’s fantastic “trophallaxis,” a hanging bundle of nut-shaped, slate gray terra-cotta breasts, bristling with fully extended car antennas, may be an exception.

From New York Times