allotriophagy
|al-lo-trio-pha-gy|
C2
🇺🇸
/əˌlɒtriˈɒfədʒi/
🇬🇧
/əˌlɒtrɪˈɒfədʒi/
eating strange things
Etymology
Etymology Information
'allotriophagy' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'allotrio-' meaning 'strange' and '-phagy' meaning 'eating'.
Historical Evolution
'allotrio-' combined with '-phagy' in Greek to form 'allotriophagy', which was adopted into English with the same meaning.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'eating strange things', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the consumption of unusual or non-nutritive substances, often associated with certain medical conditions.
The patient was diagnosed with allotriophagy after consuming chalk and dirt.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/06/29 13:06