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

Derived Forms

• polyphagous, adjective

Other Words From

• poly·phagi·an noun adjective
• po·lyph·a·gist [p, uh, -, lif, -, uh, -jist], noun
• po·lyph·a·gous [p, uh, -, lif, -, uh, -g, uh, s], pol·y·phag·ic [pol-ee-, faj, -ik, -, fey, -jik], 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