Where does “onychophagia” come from?

onychophagia (English) comes from English -phagia, from Ancient Greek -φαγία, from Ancient Greek φαγεῖν, from Proto-Indo-European bʰh₂g-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂g- — to divide, distribute, allot.

onychophagia (English): Compulsive biting of one's nails

Definitions

  1. Compulsive biting of one's nails

Ancestry of “onychophagia”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-phagiaeating, biting or swallowing
2Ancient Greek-φαγίαeating
3Ancient Greekφαγεῖνaorist active infinitive of ἔφαγον
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰh₂g-
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂g-to divide, distribute, allot
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂g-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰh₂g-Every word from Ancient Greek φαγεῖν