cannibalism
|can-ni-bal-ism|
/ˈkænɪbəlɪzəm/
eating members of one's own species (esp. humans)
Etymology
'cannibalism' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'caníbal', where the name referred to the Carib people encountered by Europeans and was associated with reports of human-eating.
'cannibalism' changed from Spanish 'caníbal' (used in the 16th century) to English 'cannibal' and later formed the noun 'cannibalism' by adding the suffix '-ism' to denote the practice or condition.
Initially, it referred to the Carib people (as perceived by Europeans) and then to 'a person who eats human flesh'; over time it came to mean the practice or act of eating members of one's own species.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the practice or habit of eating the flesh of one's own species, especially humans.
Accounts from the explorers described acts of cannibalism among some island tribes.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the ritualistic or cultural practice of consuming human flesh as part of customs or ceremonies.
Anthropologists studied instances of ritual cannibalism and their social meanings.
Synonyms
Noun 3
figurative use: the situation in which something (e.g., a new product) harms or takes over another item from the same organization or system (product cannibalism).
The company's new model led to cannibalism of sales for the older version.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/12 21:16