Standard Lemma guide

necrophagy

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /nɛˈkɹɒfəd͡ʒi/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The eating of dead or decaying animal flesh

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

feeding on corpses or carrion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: necrophagia

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: eating, feeding

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *neḱ-der. Ancient Greek νεκρός (nekrós)der. English necro- Proto-Indo-European *bheh2g- Proto-Indo-European *bhh2g-der. Ancient Greek ἔφᾰγον (éphăgon) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh2 Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -φᾰγίᾱ (-phăgíā)lbor. English -phagy English necrophagy From necro- + -phagy.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: raadonsyönti — eating of dead or decaying animal flesh
  • Greek: νεκροφαγία (nekrofagía) — eating of dead or decaying animal flesh
  • Italian: necrofagia — eating of dead or decaying animal flesh
  • Portuguese: necrofagia — eating of dead or decaying animal flesh
  • Spanish: necrofagia — eating of dead or decaying animal flesh