Ostreophagists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who primarily consume shellfish as a significant portion of their diet
2. People who specialize in eating various types of mollusks and other shellfish
3. Those who have a dietary preference for and regularly eat oysters and similar seafood items

Etymology: "Ostreophagists" is the plural of "ostreophagist," which is built from two Greek-derived pieces. The first, "ostreo-," comes from the Greek "ostreon," meaning oyster, and the second, "-phagist," comes from the Greek "phagos," meaning eating, with the "-ist" ending marking a person who practices something. Put together, the word names a person who eats oysters or other shellfish, and it is a deliberately constructed term rather than one that grew up gradually in everyday speech. The plural simply applies the regular "-s" ending to refer to more than one such person. Words of this kind are typically coined by writers and scientists who need a precise label for a niche group, and this one follows the same pattern as other "-phagist" terms built from Greek roots.