"habit of living on dry food," especially as a form of fasting, 1650s, from xero- "dry" + -phagy "eating" (see -phagous).
Entries linking to xerophagy
xero-
before vowels, xer-, word-forming element meaning "dry," from Greek xero-, combining form of xeros "dry, withered" (see xerasia).
-phagous
word-forming element meaning "eating, feeding on," from Latin -phagus, from Greek -phagos "eater of," from phagein "to eat," literally "to have a share of food," from PIE root *bhag- "to share out, apportion; to get a share."