necrophagous

adjective

ne·​croph·​a·​gous nə-ˈkrä-fə-gəs How to pronounce necrophagous (audio)
ne-
: feeding on corpses or carrion
necrophagous insects

Examples of necrophagous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While its bite could crush bones and its blade-like teeth tore through meat, Müller and company believe Dynamosuchus collisensis was a slow scavenger, or necrophagous, similar to the vultures and hyenas of today. National Geographic, 5 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin necrophagus, borrowed from Greek nekrophágos, from nekro- necro- + -phagos -phagous

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of necrophagous was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near necrophagous

Cite this Entry

“Necrophagous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/necrophagous. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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