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cannibal
[ kan-uh-buhl ]
/ ËkĂŠn É bÉl /
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noun
a person who eats human flesh, especially for magical or religious purposes, as among certain tribal peoples.
any animal that eats its own kind.
adjective
pertaining to or characteristic of a cannibal.
given to cannibalism.
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Origin of cannibal
1545â55; <Spanish canĂbal, variant of carĂbal, equivalent to canib-, carib- (<Arawak ) + -al-al1; from the belief that the Caribs of the West Indies ate human flesh
OTHER WORDS FROM cannibal
can·ni·bal·ly, adverbWords nearby cannibal
cannelure, canner, cannery, Cannes, cannetille, cannibal, cannibalism, cannibalize, cannikin, canning, Canning Basin
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cannibal in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for cannibal
cannibal
/ (ËkĂŠnÉȘbÉl) /
noun
- a person who eats the flesh of other human beings
- (as modifier)cannibal tribes
an animal that feeds on the flesh of others of its kind
Word Origin for cannibal
C16: from Spanish Canibales, name used by Columbus to designate the Caribs of Cuba and Haiti, from Arawak caniba, variant of Carib
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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