phage

¹ American  

[feyj] / feɪdʒ /

noun

1. bacteriophage.

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-phage ² American  

Also -phag.

1. a combining form meaning “a thing that devours,” used in the formation of compound words, especially the names of phagocytes.

   macrophage.

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-phage ¹ British  

combining form

1. indicating something that eats or consumes something specified

   bacteriophage

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phage ² British  

/ feɪdʒ /

noun

1. short for bacteriophage

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Usage

What does -phage mean? The combining form -phage is used like a suffix meaning “a thing that devours.” It is used in many scientific terms, especially in biology. The form -phage ultimately comes from the Greek phageîn, meaning “to eat, devour.” This Greek root also helps form the word esophagus. Discover the connection at our entry for the word. The word phage, referring to a bacteriophage, is a shortened or independent use of the combining form -phageClosely related to -phage are -phagia, -phagy, and -phagous. Their corresponding form combined to the beginning of words is phago-. Learn more about their specific applications at our Words That Use articles for the forms.

Other Word Forms

• -phagous combining form

Etymology

Origin of phage¹

By shortening, or independent use of -phage

Origin of -phage²

Noun use of Greek -phagos -phagous

Example Sentences

The researchers also discovered that elements of their active genetic system can be transported by bacteriophage, or phage, viruses that naturally infect bacteria.

From Science Daily • Feb. 18, 2026

The team envisions pPro-MobV working alongside these engineered phage to strengthen the impact.

From Science Daily • Feb. 18, 2026

NEB scientists first optimized the method using a well-studied model virus, Escherichia coli phage T7.

From Science Daily • Jan. 21, 2026

With NEB's Golden Gate Assembly platform, scientists can assemble an entire phage genome outside the cell using synthetic DNA, incorporating all planned genetic changes during construction.

From Science Daily • Jan. 21, 2026

The news hit me in Geneva, where I had stopped for several days to talk with the Swiss phage worker Jean Weigle, who was just back from a winter of work at Cal Tech.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson