cannibal
nounattested in dialogue
- //ˈkænɪbəl//
An organism which eats others of its own species or kind, especially a human who consumes human flesh.
noun
- 1
An organism which eats others of its own species or kind, especially a human who consumes human flesh.
These insects were not uncommon beneath stones. I found one cannibal scorpion quietly devouring another.
Up the cave I went, and after me came the others, and after them thundered the whole crowd of cannibals, mad with fury at the death of the woman.
[…] that the larvae of Thecla calanus is a cannibal, eating its weaker brethren when short of food.
Quickly he learned their simple speech, their native customs, and the ethics of their wild, primitive tribal life. He found that they were not cannibals—that they looked with loathing and contempt upon men who ate men.
- 2
Variant of cannibal boatobsoleteEllipsis of cannibal boat.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Cariban *kariponader. Spanish caribeder. Spanish caríbalder. Spanish caníbalbor. English cannibal Borrowed from Spanish caníbal, from Taíno caniba, the Taíno form recorded by Christopher Columbus for the Caribs, who were greatly feared. From an Arawak language, probably Taíno, and ultimately from Proto-Cariban *karipona (“person”). Doublet of Carib, caribe, Garifuna, Carijona, Kari'na, and Caribbean.
Forms
- plural
- cannibals
cannibal · An organism which eats others of its own species or kind, especially a human who consumes human flesh.
cannon · A complete assembly, consisting of an artillery tube and a…Cannon · A surname.cannonball · A spherical projectile fired from a smoothbore cannon.