cannibal

[ kan-uh-buhl ]

noun

1. a person who eats human flesh, especially for magical or religious purposes, as among certain tribal peoples.
2. any animal that eats its own kind.

adjective

1. pertaining to or characteristic of a cannibal.
2. given to cannibalism.

cannibal

/ ˈkænɪbəl /

noun

1. 1. a person who eats the flesh of other human beings
   2. ( as modifier )

      cannibal tribes

2. an animal that feeds on the flesh of others of its kind

Other Words From

• canni·bal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cannibal¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish caníbal, variant of caríbal, from canib-, caribe (from Taíno; Carib ( def ) ) + -al -al ¹; from the belief that the Caribs of the West Indies ate human flesh

Word History and Origins

Origin of cannibal¹

C16: from Spanish Canibales, name used by Columbus to designate the Caribs of Cuba and Haiti, from Arawak caniba, variant of Carib

Example Sentences

"People who have committed heinous crimes - murderers, rapists, cannibals and paedophiles - they not only avoid punishment by going to war, the unprecedented bit is that they are being hailed as heroes."

From BBC

The industrial food supply will be the last bastion of the luxury economy, and we might mirror the cannibals in doomsday movies before we cede our idiosyncratic eating habits to austerity.

From Los Angeles Times

He was inspired by some of his favourites from the genre such as Halloween, The Hills Have Eyes and Tobe Hooper's dread-inducing tale of unwitting teenagers encountering a cannibal family, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

From BBC

The question for the Democrats now is, can they close this cannibal buffet and come together in time to defeat the felon?

From Salon

He resurrected the racist chestnut, “China virus,” when referring to the Covid 19 pandemic, and likened Latino immigrants to drug dealers, rapists, murderous gang members, and the world’s most famous cinematic cannibal.

From Salon

Related Words

• anthropophaginian
• anthropophagite
• anthropophagus
• man-eater
• people-eater