man-eating
|man-eat-ing|
/ˈmænˌiːtɪŋ/
preys on humans
Etymology
'man-eating' originates from Old English elements, specifically 'mann' and 'etan', where 'mann' meant 'person' and 'etan' meant 'to eat'.
'man-eating' developed as a compound in Middle English from Old English 'mann' + the verb form related to 'etan' (to eat), forming compounds meaning 'eating humans'; it evolved into the modern English hyphenated compound 'man-eating'.
Initially, it meant 'eating human beings' (literal), and this literal meaning has largely remained; later, a figurative sense 'predatory toward men' was added.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
feeding on or having a tendency to kill and eat human beings (literal).
The island was once home to a man-eating tiger.
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Adjective 2
figurative: aggressively predatory toward men, especially sexually or socially; often used of a woman who seduces, exploits, or dominates men.
Tabloids portrayed her as a man-eating socialite who left a trail of broken hearts.
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Last updated: 2025/10/12 21:49