Hyperphagia
/ˌhaɪ.pərˈfeɪ.dʒə/noun
Excessive hunger or abnormally increased food intake.
Did you know?The second element, Greek phagein (“to eat”), also appears in bacteriophage—the literal “bacteria-eater,” a virus that destroys bacteria.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*uper
“Over, above, or beyond”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhag-
“To share out, apportion, or receive a portion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hyper (ὑπέρ)
“Over, beyond, or excessively”
Ancient Greek
Greek
phagein (φαγεῖν)
“To eat”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hyperphagia (ὑπερφαγία)
“Excessive eating or overindulgence in food”
19th Century
New Latin
hyperphagia
“Medical term for abnormally increased appetite or food intake”
Modern English
English
hyperphagia
“Excessive hunger or eating, often associated with medical or neurological conditions”