What does monophagous mean?
Monophagous means feeding on only one kind of food or specializing on a single food source. The word is primarily used in biology to describe an animal, insect, or other organism whose diet is narrowly restricted. Such feeding may involve a single plant species, a particular animal prey, or one category of organic material, depending on the organism concerned. Monophagy can make an organism highly specialised, sometimes tying it closely to a particular habitat or host. In that sense, the term is often associated with ecological vulnerability: if the favoured food source disappears, a monophagous population may have few alternatives. The word should not be confused with monogamous, which concerns having one mate rather than one kind of food. Although relatively rare outside specialist writing, monophagous is useful because it identifies a precise biological condition rather than merely describing an animal as having a restricted or preferred diet.
adjectiveFeeding on only one kind of food or a single type of food source. The term is especially used in biology for animals with a highly specialized diet.
- Feeding on only one kind of food or specializing on a single food source.
"A monophagous insect may depend on one particular species of plant for both food and shelter."
"The species is monophagous, depending almost entirely on one particular food source."
"Monophagous animals are often highly specialised and vulnerable when their preferred food becomes scarce."
Monophagous describes a diet, not a romance: a monophagous animal eats just one kind of food.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does monophagous come from?
The word was formed in English from Greek roots meaning “single” and “eating.” Its structure parallels other English words ending in -phagous, which describe the kind of material an organism consumes. The related noun monophagy names the condition of feeding on only one kind of food.
Related word forms
How monophagous is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon biological term, used chiefly in zoology, ecology, and entomology. It describes dietary specialization rather than simply eating little.
Easily confused with monophagous
Monophagous describes an animal that eats only one kind of food, whereas monogamous describes one that has a single mate at a time.