'anthropophagist' originates from Greek via New Latin: Greek 'ánthrōpos' meaning 'human' and 'phageîn' meaning 'to eat', composed in forms like 'anthropophagos' and adopted into New Latin/Modern European scientific usage.

'anthropophagist' developed from Greek 'anthrōpophagós' (Ἀνθρωποφάγος) → Latinized as 'anthropophagus'/'anthropophagia' in Medieval/early modern scholarly texts → English formations 'anthropophagy' and later the agent noun 'anthropophagist' in modern English.

Initially it literally meant 'one who eats humans' and that core sense has largely been preserved, though the term is now rare and sometimes used figuratively (e.g., to describe groups that 'devour' their own members).