anthropophagous
|an-thro-po-pha-gous|
🇺🇸
/ænˈθrɑpəfəɡəs/
🇬🇧
/ænˈθrɒpəfəɡəs/
feeding on humans
Etymology
'anthropophagous' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'anthrōpos' meaning 'human' and 'phagein' meaning 'to eat'.
'anthropophagous' was formed in New Latin from Greek elements and entered English usage (via scientific and literary contexts) in the 17th–18th centuries as 'anthropophagous' or similar spellings.
Initially it referred specifically to the act of eating human flesh; over time it has remained largely specialized, used in zoology, anthropology, and literary descriptions to mean 'feeding on humans' or 'cannibalistic.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
feeding on human flesh; cannibalistic.
The ancient myth described an anthropophagous tribe feared by neighboring peoples.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/26 16:03