cannibalism

noun

can·​ni·​bal·​ism ˈka-nə-bə-ˌli-zəm 

1

: the usually ritualistic eating of human flesh by a human being

2

: the eating of the flesh of an animal by another animal of the same kind

3

: an act of cannibalizing something

cannibalistic

ˌka-nə-bə-ˈli-stik 

adjective

Examples of cannibalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are five other sites with evidence of cannibalism from the same time in Europe , which experienced a changing climate that caused competition for resources and possibly even war. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025

Hammer, meanwhile, saw his career stall in 2021, after he was accused of sending graphic and violent texts about rape fantasies, cannibalism and drinking blood. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025

Instead, the authors propose that the cannibalism may have served the purpose of dehumanizing them. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024

Dahmer's combination of serial killing, necrophilia and cannibalism has fascinated true crime fans for decades, inspiring the graphic novel and film My Friend Dahmer starring Ross Lynch and Ryan Murphy's series Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story starring Evan Peters. —Jessica Sager, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cannibalism

noun

can·​ni·​bal·​ism ˈkan-ə-bə-ˌliz-əm 

1

: the eating of human flesh by a human being

2

: the eating of the flesh of an animal by another animal of the same kind

cannibalistic

ˌkan-ə-bə-ˈlis-tik 

adjective

Medical Definition

cannibalism

noun

can·​ni·​bal·​ism -bə-ˌliz-əm 

1

: the usually ritualistic eating of human flesh by a human being

2

: the eating of the flesh or the eggs of any animal by its own kind

3

: the pecking and tearing of the live flesh of its own members in a domestic poultry flock compare pecking order

4

: oral sadism