Geophagy (Noun)
Meaning
Eating earth, clay, chalk; occurs in some primitive tribes, sometimes in cases of nutritional deficiency or obsessive behavior.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The indigenous tribe practiced geophagy as a cultural ritual to purify their bodies and souls.
- In some regions, geophagy is observed in pregnant women who crave non-food items due to nutritional deficiencies.
- Geophagy, or eating earth, has been reported in several cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Researchers have identified geophagy as a coping mechanism for individuals with pica, an eating disorder characterized by consuming non-food items.
- The local doctor was puzzled by the widespread geophagy among the village children, who would often eat clay from the nearby riverbank.