Overfeeding

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The practice of supplying more sustenance than is necessary, which can result in negative health outcomes for individuals or animals
2. An action involving the giving of excessive nourishment leading to potential weight gain and other health complications
3. The act of providing an excessive amount of food, which may lead to obesity and associated health issues in both humans and animals

Etymology: Overfeeding is a plain English compound: the prefix "over-" attached to "feed." The prefix comes from Old English "ofer," which carried the sense of "above" or "beyond," so the word simply means feeding beyond what is right or healthy. The same prefix shows up in "overeat," "overwork" and "overpay," all built the same way. The prefix has a deep history of its own. Its ancestors reach back to Proto-Indo-European forms meaning something like "up" or "over," and they passed through Proto-Germanic "uber" before becoming the Old English "ofer." Because the prefix travelled so far, it is far older than the feeding sense it now attaches to, and it has been freely combined with verbs throughout English history.

Synonyms: overindulging, gluttony

Antonyms: starvation, dieting, restricting