nonfloral-feeding
|non / flor / al / feed / ing|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈflɔrəl ˈfiːdɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈflɒrəl ˈfiːdɪŋ/
feeding not on flowers
Etymology
'nonfloral-feeding' originates from Modern English, formed by the negative prefix 'non-' + 'floral' (from Latin 'flos, floris' meaning 'flower') + 'feeding' (from Old English 'fēdan' meaning 'to supply with food').
'non-' (a productive English prefix of Latin origin) was combined with 'floral' (from Latin 'flōs' → Medieval/Modern English 'floral') and the gerund/participle 'feeding' (from Old English 'fēdan' → Middle English 'feden' → Modern English 'feed' + '-ing'), producing the modern compound 'nonfloral-feeding'.
Initially the components referred separately to 'not' ('non-'), 'flower' ('floral'), and 'to eat' ('feeding'); over time they fused into a compound meaning 'feeding that does not involve flowers'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the behavior or practice of feeding on non-floral resources (e.g., leaves, stems, sap, fruits, or non-flower pollen) rather than on flowers or nectar.
Researchers observed nonfloral-feeding in several beetle species that consume leaf tissue and sap.
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Adjective 1
describing an organism or behavior characterized by feeding on non-floral parts or non-flower food sources.
The study focused on nonfloral-feeding insects that rely on sap and fruit rather than nectar.
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Last updated: 2026/01/14 07:09