Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “xylophagic” come from?

xylophagic (English) comes from English xylophagia, 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.

xylophagic (English): That eats wood; Relating to xylophagia

Definitions

  1. That eats wood; Relating to xylophagia

Ancestry of “xylophagic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishxylophagiafeeding on wood; Eating wood as a form of pica
2English-phagiaeating, biting or swallowing
3Ancient Greek-φαγία—
4Ancient Greekφαγεῖνaorist active infinitive of ἔφαγον
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰh₂g-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂g-to divide, distribute, allot
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂g- →