Definition

A condition where a person has an excessive desire to eat or an unusually high appetite.

Example

After his illness, he experienced polyphagia and felt hungry all the time.

Conversation

I read about this condition called polyphagia that makes people feel constantly hungry.

Really? That sounds tough to deal with.

Yeah, it’s like an excessive desire to eat without a real need for food.

I can’t imagine how hard that must be for someone trying to manage their weight.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Polyphagia → It is formed from "poly-" (meaning many) and "phagia" (from Greek "phagein", meaning to eat). The word describes the condition of eating excessively or having an appetite for many foods.

Memory Tip

Think of 'many' ('poly-') and 'eating' ('phagia') to remember that polyphagia refers to eating a lot or having a strong appetite.

Visually Confused Words