cannibalism

[kan-uh-buh-liz-uhm]

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.

cannibalism

/ ˈkænɪbəˌlɪzəm /

noun

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

2. savage and inhuman cruelty

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cannibalism¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; cannibal + -ism

Example Sentences

Gein ultimately confessed to murdering Hogan and Worden and robbing more than 40 graves, though he denied cannibalism and necrophilia claims.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Arriving in Los Angeles to pitch the half-baked reality show, she takes the opportunity to lobby “Death and Taxidermy”’s showrunner, unsuccessfully, to rethink the cannibalism and dragons now written into it.

Read more on Salon

Scavengers, thieves and killers lurk on the roadsides; some turn to cannibalism.

Read more on Salon

Things started to get really bad — like, cannibalism bad — during the team’s first winter in the woods, which coincides with the beginning of Season 2.

Read more on Salon

Some descriptions of the “My Humps” cover from male critics: not funny, smug, witless, self-conscious, pop music cannibalism, dreadful and completely missing the point.

Read more on Salon