coprophagy

• coprophagia

From copro- (“excrement”) +‎ -phagy (“to feed on”).

coprophagy (uncountable)

1. The eating of feces.
   • 1980, G. J. Kenagy, D. F. Hoyt, “Reingestion of Feces in Rodents and Its Daily Rhythmicity”, in Oecologia, volume 44, number 3, page 403:

     We use "coprophagy" as the simplest available general term to describe ingestion of the feces, without any implication of cause, circumstances, or the origin or nature of fecal material consumed.

   • 1989, Nutrition and Management of Dogs and Cats, page 38:

     Other studies postulate that dogs practice coprophagy in an attempt to conserve digestive enzymes, in particular protelytic enzymes and amylase (McCuistion, 1966).

   • 2010, Peter Conrad, The Monthly, April 2010, Issue 55, The Monthly Ptd Ltd, page 52:

     In Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre (2003), Kosky previewed the apocalypse in a blitz of surreal images that made coprophagy, as he puts it, look "gorgeous".

   Synonym: scatophagy

• caecotrophy
• proctophagy
• reingestion