[1820–30; hippo- + -phagy]This word is first recorded in the period 1820–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: acetate, analogue, boomerang, insider, myth-phagy is a combining form meaning “eating,” “devouring” that specified by the initial element,esp. as a practice or habit. Other words that use the affix -phagy include: cytophagy, geophagy, ichthyophagy