Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The consumption of one embryo by another
in utero ; particularly as it relates to certain amphibians, sharks and fishes.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From Ancient Greek ἀδελφός (adelphos, "brother") and the suffix -φαγία (-phagia), combining form of φαγεῖν (phagein, "to eat") See also suffix -phagy.
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Examples
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He believes that mankind in its development went through a scary stage of adelphophagy, which literally means "eating one's brother."
Pravda.Ru 2009
polymorph commented on the word adelphophagy
This behavior of intrauterine cannibalism in sharks was mentioned on the Sharkland documentary on PBS recently.
May 7, 2007