cannibalism

American  

[kan-uh-buh-liz-uhm] / ˈkæn ə bəˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. the eating of human flesh by another human being.

2. the eating of the flesh of an animal by another animal of its own kind.

3. the ceremonial eating of human flesh or parts of the human body for magical or religious purposes, as to acquire the power or skill of a person recently killed.

4. the act of pecking flesh from a live fowl by a member of the same flock.

5. the removal of parts, equipment, assets, or employees from one product, item, or business in order to use them in another.

6. the acquisition and absorption of smaller companies by a large corporation or conglomerate.

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cannibalism British  

/ ˈkænɪbəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the act of eating human flesh or the flesh of one's own kind

2. savage and inhuman cruelty

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Other Word Forms

• cannibalistic
  adjective
• cannibalistically
  adverb
• noncannibalistic
  adjective
• noncannibalistically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of cannibalism

First recorded in 1790–1800; cannibal + -ism

Explanation

Cannibalism is when people eat people, or another animal eats that type of animal. Of all the bizarre things in the world, cannibalism is near the top of the list. For humans, cannibalism means eating human flesh. This occurs in some primitive societies and among disturbed people such as serial killers. Also, if a group of people are stranded somewhere long enough, they might have to resort to cannibalism to survive. Animals that eat their own kind are also examples of cannibalism. People who engage in cannibalism are called cannibals.

Example Sentences

The picture subsequently made the newspapers under the somewhat overstated headline, "Cannibalism at Clash Gig."

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2023

Cannibalism of offspring isn't unusual among animals, Klug says, explaining that parents may nutritionally benefit from consuming some offspring that they suspect won't survive.

From Scientific American • Oct. 1, 2023

Cannibalism is also dicey from a disease perspective.

From Science Magazine • Jul. 19, 2022

Cannibalism, researchers felt, was an aberrant behavior resulting from a lack of alternative forms of nutrition or the stresses associated with captive conditions.

From New York Times • Jan. 30, 2017

Cannibalism, polygamy, incest, harlotry, and other primitive customs have been discarded by a very wide and, in the case of some of them, unanimous judgment that they are harmful.

From Folkways A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals by Sumner, William Graham