[1730–40; ‹ L grāmin- (s. of grāmen) grass + -i- + -vorous]This word is first recorded in the period 1730–40. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: bronze, escapement, malaria, optimism, thesaurus-i- is the typical ending of the first element of compounds of Latin words, as -o- is of Greek words, but often used in English with a first element of any origin,if the second element is of Latin origin. Other words that use the affix -i- include: Frenchify, cuneiform; -vorous is a combining form meaning “eating, gaining sustenance from” that specified by theinitial element. Other words that use the affix -vorous include: carnivorous, fungivorous, omnivorous, panivorous, sanguivorous