geophagy

G2E1O1P3H4A1G2Y4

noun

The practice of eating earthy substances such as clay and chalk, often during famines or thought to augment a mineral-deficient diet.

Similar
geophagia
OriginAncient Greek ἔφᾰγον (éphăgon) ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂g- ← English geo- →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

noungeophagy (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe practice of eating earthy substances such as clay and chalk, often during famines or thought to augment a mineral-deficient diet.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouneating earth, clay, chalk; occurs in some primitive tribes, sometimes in cases of nutritional deficiency or obsessive behavior

Similar
geophagia
Broader
pica
Also see
chthonophagiageophagiapica

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Hellenic*gaya
  2. Ancient Greekγαῖᾰ (gaîă)clip.
  3. Ancient Greekγῆ (gê)
  4. Ancient Greekγεω- (geō-)
  5. Englishgeo-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂g-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂g-
  8. Ancient Greekἔφᾰγον (éphăgon)
  9. Englishgeophagy

From geo- + -phagy.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

geophagy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/geophagy

MLA

“geophagy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/geophagy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “geophagy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/geophagy.

Source: geophagy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.