"act of taking food," Old English feding, verbal noun from feed (v.). Feeding frenzy is from 1989, metaphoric extension of a phrase that had been used of sharks since 1950s.

by 1905 in animal husbandry, from force (n.) + feed (v.). Related: Force-fed; force-feeding. Force-feeding (n.) is from 1900.

"feeding on grubs and caterpillars," 1863; see larva + -vorous.

"leaf-eating, feeding on leaves," 1819, from phyllo- "leaf" + -phagous "eating."

"eating or feeding on flesh," 1640s, from Latin carnivorus "flesh-eating, feeding on flesh," from caro (genitive carnis) "flesh" (originally "a piece of flesh," from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut") + vorare "to devour" (from PIE root *gwora- "food, devouring"). Related: Carnivorously; carnivorousness; carnivoracity.

also birdseed, "small seed used for feeding birds," 1736, from bird (n.1) + seed (n.).

"fish-eating, habitually feeding upon fish," 1660s, from Latin piscis "a fish" (from PIE root *pisk- "a fish") + -vorous "eating, devouring."

"feeding on putrid matter," 1819, Modern Latin; see sapro- + -phagous.

"feeding on fruits," 1833, from Latin frugi-, stem of frux "fruit, produce" (see frugal) + -vorous "eating, devouring."

"serpent-eating," 1640s; see ophio- "serpent, snake" + -phagous "eating, feeding on."