geophagy

[ jee-of-uh-jee ]
/ dʒiˈɒf ə dʒi /

noun

the practice of eating earthy matter, especially clay or chalk, as in famine-stricken areas.
Also ge·o·pha·gia [jee-uh-fey-juh, -jee-uh] /ˌdʒi əˈfeɪ dʒə, -dʒi ə/, ge·oph·a·gism [jee-of-uh-jiz-uh m] /dʒiˈɒf əˌdʒɪz əm/.

Origin of geophagy

First recorded in 1840–50; geo- + -phagy

OTHER WORDS FROM geophagy

ge·oph·a·gist, noun ge·oph·a·gous [jee-of-uh-guh s] /dʒiˈɒf ə gəs/, adjective

Words nearby geophagy

geometry, geomorphic, geomorphology, geonavigation, geonim, geophagy, geophilous, geophone, geophysical, geophysics, geophyte

British Dictionary definitions for geophagy

geophagy

geophagia (ˌdʒɪəˈfeɪdʒə, -dʒɪə) or geophagism (dʒɪˈɒfədʒɪzəm)

/ (dʒɪˈɒfədʒɪ) /

noun

the practice of eating earth, clay, chalk, etc, found in some primitive tribes
zoology the habit of some animals, esp earthworms, of eating soil

Derived forms of geophagy

geophagist, noun geophagous (dʒɪˈɒfəɡəs), adjective

Medical definitions for geophagy

geophagy
[ jē-ŏf′ə-jē ]

n.

The eating of earthy substances, such as clay or chalk, that is practiced as a custom or for dietary or subsistence reasons. dirt-eating

Other words from geophagy

ge•oph′a•gist n.