# autophagy

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #55,253

## Definitions
1. The process of self-digestion by a cell through the action of enzymes originating within the same cell, and often a defensive or self-preservation measure.
2. A type of programmed cell death accomplished through self-digestion.
3. Self-consumption; the act of eating oneself.

## Etymology
From auto- + -phagy.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/autophagy