chthonophagia

1 definition found

chthonophagia - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Chthonophagia \Chthon`o*pha"gi*a\, Chthonophagy
  \Chtho*noph"a*gy\, n. [NL. chthonophagia; Gr. ?, ?, earth + ? to
     eat.]
     A disease characterized by an irresistible desire to eat
     earth, observed in some parts of the southern United States,
     the West Indies, etc.
     [1913 Webster]