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Definition of xylophage

xylophage

/ˈzaɪ.lə.feɪdʒ/
xy · lo · phage
Plural:xylophages
•
Adjective:xylophagous
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xylophage Lexical Profile

xylophage Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An organism, typically an insect or crustacean, whose diet consists primarily or exclusively of wood.

Example

"The marine shipworm is a notorious xylophage that causes extensive damage to submerged wooden structures and historical shipwrecks."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for xylophage

• Nearby Words

xylonic
xylonite
xylophagan
xylophage
xylophilous
xylophone
xylopyrography

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived in the 19th century from the Greek words 'xulon' (wood) and 'phagein' (to eat).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Xylophage. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/xylophage
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