cynophagists

English

Noun

cynophagists

1. plural of cynophagist (“one who engages in cynophagia”)
   • 1884, Mackenzie, Alexander, “Appendix J: Extracts From the Assam Census Report, 1881”, in History of the Relations of the Government with the Hill Tribes of the North-East Frontier of Bengal (Cambridge library Collection), Cambridge University Press, published 2012, →ISBN, page 544:

     So closely are the Abors and Miris connected that the names of some of their tribes [...] are the same, but the Abor branch of Chimirr is said to be distinguished by the custom of eating dogs; in fact, they are cynophagists.

   • August 1902, Willey, Arthur, "Contribution to the Natural History of the Pearly Nautilus", in Willey's Zoological Results. Part VI (Cambridge University Press.), page 703:

     The natives are cynophagists and I was told that they rub the bruised fruit of the Barringtonia speciosa called "a vutun" on the closed eyes of recently born pups, to cause them to open, but I did not actually see this veterinary fear performed.

   • 2004, Linseele, Veerle, “Cultural identity and the consumption of dogs in western Africa”, in O'Day, Sharyn Jones, Van Neer, Wim, Ervynck, Anton, editors, Behaviour Behind Bones: The zooarchaeology of ritual, religion, status, and identity (Proceedings of the 9th Conference of the International Council of Archaeozoology), Oxbow Books, →ISBN, page 324:

     Interviewed cynophagists would therefore not say that they eat dog flesh for its taste bur rather suggest other reasons (religion, medicine, etc.), more acceptable to the interviewer.