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The combining form -phagous is used like a suffix meaning “eating,” “feeding on,” or “devouring” a thing specified by the first part of the word. It is used in many scientific and other technical terms, especially in biology.

The form -phagous ultimately comes from the Greek ��󲹲���î��, meaning “to eat, devour.” This Greek root also helps form the word esophagus. Discover the connection at our entry for the word.

The form -phagous is often used as an adjective form of words ending in the related -phagy or -phagia. Also closely related to -phagous is -phage, and a corresponding form of -phagous combined to the beginning of words is phago-. Eat up all the specific details at our 51�Թ�s That Use articles for these forms.

One example of a scientific term that features the combining form -phagous is rhizophagous, meaning “feeding on roots.”

The first part of the word, rhizo-, is a combining form meaning “root.” The second part, -phagous, means “eating.” Rhizophagous literally translates to “root-eating.”

What are some words that use the combining form -phagous?

• anthophagous
• bacteriophagous
• coprophagous
• cytophagous
• endophagous
• geophagous
• hylophagous (using the equivalent form of -phagous in Greek)
• ichthyophagous
• macrophagous
• microphagous
• monophagous
• mycophagous
• necrophagous
• oligophagous
• phytophagous
• saprophagous
• xylophagous (using the equivalent form of -phagous in Greek)

What are some other forms that -phagous may be commonly confused with?

• –facient
• -gamy
• -gnathous
• -phasia
• -phile
• -phobia

Keep in mind that -ous is a suffix used to form a great many words in English, from stupendous to stannous. While it is related to the -ous in -tomous, -ous in these words—as well as a multitude of others, from nervous to glorious—is not indicating “cut” or “divided.” Learn more at our entry for -ous.

The combining form xylo- means “wood.” With this in mind, what does an insect characterized as xylophagous do?