zoophagan, n. & adj.

zoophagan
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zoophagan_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2017

# zoophagannoun & adjective

## Factsheet

### What does the word zoophagan mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the word zoophagan. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How is the word zoophagan pronounced?

#### British English

/zuːˈɒfəɡ(ə)n/
zoo-OFF-uh-guhn
/zəʊˈɒfəɡ(ə)n/
zoh-OFF-uh-guhn

#### U.S. English

/zoʊˈɑfəɡən/
zoh-AH-fuh-guhn
/zuˈɑfəɡən/
zoo-AH-fuh-guhn

### Where does the word zoophagan come from?

Earliest known use

1830s

The earliest known use of the word zoophagan is in the 1830s.

OED's earliest evidence for zoophagan is from 1835, in the writing of William Kirby, entomologist and naturalist.

zoophagan is a borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element.

Etymons: Latin Zoophaga, ‑an suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. zoonomy, n. 1800–
2. zoonosis, n. 1873–
3. zoonosologist, n. 1860–
4. zoonosology, n. 1845–
5. zoonotic, adj. 1877–
6. zoon politikon, n. 1895–
7. zoonters, int. a1763–
8. zoo-organic, adj. 1821–90
9. zoopathologist, n. 1898–
10. zoopathology, n. 1841–
11. zoophagan, n. & adj.1835–
12. zoophagic, adj. 1903–
13. zoophagous, adj. 1788–
14. zoophagy, n. 1849–
15. zoophile, n. 1885–
16. zoophilia, n. 1894–
17. zoophilic, adj. 1884–
18. zoophilism, n. 1867–
19. zoophilist, n. 1829–
20. zoophilite, n. 1879–
21. zoophilous, adj. 1881–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element.
Etymons: Latin Zoophaga, ‑an suffix.
< scientific Latin Zoophaga, name of a division of gastropod molluscs (1832, after French zoophages: see below) and a division of carnivorous marsupials…
< scientific Latin Zoophaga, name of a division of gastropod molluscs (1832, after French zoophages: see below) and a division of carnivorous marsupials (C. Gegenbaur Grundriss der vergleichenden Anatomie (1874) 411: see note) + ‑an suffix.

In use as noun apparently originally after French zoophages, plural noun denoting a division of gastropod molluscs (Lamarck 1822; with other uses see zoophagous adj.).

With use as adjective compare earlier zoophagous adj.

### Notes

Scientific Latin Zoophaga is a use as noun of the neuter plural of post-classical Latin zoophagus carnivorous (1655 or earlier; 1715 or earlier as noun) < zoo- zoo- comb. form + ‑phagus: see ‑phagous comb. form.

## Meaning & use

1. noun
   1. 1835–
      Originally: †a member of either of two animal groups called Zoophaga, one of gastropod molluscs, the other of marsupial mammals (obsolete). In later use more generally: an animal which feeds on other animals or on animal matter; a carnivore. Now rare.
      The name Zoophaga was used of a division of gastropod molluscs in classifications following that of Lamarck (1817), and of a division of marsupial mammals by Haeckel and others, following a system proposed by Gegenbaur (1874).
      1. 1835

         > Lamarck's canaliferous Zoophagans, called so from the long straight canal which terminates the mouth of their shells.

         W. Kirby, On Power of God in Creation of Animals vol. I. ix. 296
      2. 1840

         > The words Carnivores and Insectivores are better..than Greek terms; otherwise we might..speak of Zoophagans and Entomophagans.

         W. Whewell, Philosophy of Inductive Science vol. I. p. cx
      3. 1842

         > Zoophagans..the order of Unguiculate Mammals which live on animal food,..also the corresponding group of the Marsupial Quadrupeds.

         W. T. Brande, Dictionary of Science, Literature & Art 1342/2
      4. 1891

         > Zoöphagan, a carnivorous animal;..especially, a member of the Zoöphaga.

         Century Dictionary
      5. 2011

         > The latter has a greater efficiency as a zoophagan than the former.

         Comparative Biochem. & Physiology A. vol. 160 429/1
      shells and shellfish
      1. flesh-vourer 1533
      2. flesh-eater 1616–
      3. man-eater 1835–
         More generally: an animal, esp. a tiger, lion, or leopard, that eats or has a propensity for eating human flesh.
      4. zoophagan 1835–
         Originally: †a member of either of two animal groups called Zoophaga, one of gastropod molluscs, the other of marsupial mammals (obsolete). In…
      5. carnivore 1854–
         A carnivorous animal; one of the Carnivora. Also, a carnivorous plant.
      6. sarcophagan
         An animal of the group Sarcophaga (flesh-eating animals).
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. zoophagan 1835–
         Originally: †a member of either of two animal groups called Zoophaga, one of gastropod molluscs, the other of marsupial mammals (obsolete). In…
      2. phyllophagan 1842–
         An animal belonging to any of various taxonomic groups called Phyllophaga and characterized as feeding on leaves, spec.: (a) a group of edentate…
      View in Historical Thesaurus
2. adjective
   1. 1835–
      Originally: †belonging to either of the groups called Zoophaga (obsolete). In later use: of or relating to a carnivore or meat-eater. rare.
      1. 1835

         > The animal of the Heteropods having a proboscis and only two tentacles, seems intermediate between the Zoophagan Trachelipods and the Cephalopods.

         W. Kirby, On Power of God in Creation of Animals vol. I. ix. 302
      2. 1994

         > A ‘zoophagan’ logic, favoured by those who like to acknowledge the living in what they are eating and who consequently rate offal especially highly.

         J. A. Underwood, translation of N. Vialles, Animal to Edible 127

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zuːˈɒfəɡ(ə)n/
zoo-OFF-uh-guhn
/zəʊˈɒfəɡ(ə)n/
zoh-OFF-uh-guhn

### U.S. English

/zoʊˈɑfəɡən/
zoh-AH-fuh-guhn
/zuˈɑfəɡən/
zoo-AH-fuh-guhn

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Forms

### Variant forms

1. 1800s–1900s
   zoöphagan
2. 1800s–
   zoophagan

Originally published as part of the entry for zoophagous, adj.

zoophagan, n. & adj. was revised in June 2017.

zoophagan, n. & adj. was last modified in July 2023.