'cannibal' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'caníbal', where the term referred to the Carib people of the Caribbean who were reputed to eat human flesh.

'cannibal' entered English in the late 16th century from Spanish (and Portuguese) reports of 'Caníbales' (from Taíno/Carib names for the Carib people) and eventually became the modern English word 'cannibal'.

Initially it referred to the Carib people (or people reputed to be human-eaters), but over time it evolved to mean 'a person or animal that eats the flesh of its own species.'