Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An organism that eats dead or decaying flesh.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Composed by necro- + -phage, from Ancient Greek νεκροφάγος (nekrophágos), from νεκρός (necros, "cadaver") and φάγος (phagos, "one who eats").

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Examples

  • Il n'y a pas d'histoire sanglante ni de vampire ou necrophage homosexuel!

    pinku-tk Diary Entry pinku-tk 2005

  • "What we think is that the bees ... or whatever we decide to call them ... are an order of necrophage flying pseudocrustacea.

    Beowulf's Children Niven, Larry 1995

  • They were stripped to the bone in minutes by starving, disoriented necrophage bees. "

    Beowulf's Children Niven, Larry 1995

Comments

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  • Good grief. Apparently used by staunch vegetarian (or vegan) propagandists.

    Gr. νεκ�?ός, necros, dead body, and -φάγος from φαγείν, phagein, to eat. One who eats dead things: by application, a meat-eater.

    February 23, 2008

  • Most plants are also dead (or, worse, dying) when eaten.

    But I agree with the vegan propagandists that necrophagy is unacceptable. Bring out more oysters!

    February 24, 2008

  • I don't know. Eating live things is a little unsettling too.

    February 24, 2008

  • You know what I meant: dead bodies :)

    February 24, 2008

  • I know, sarra--just tweaking yarb about the oysters. :-)

    February 25, 2008