cannibalistically
- adverb
- /ˌkænɪbəˈlɪstɪkli/
- Offensive
- The essay critiqued the philosopher's ideas cannibalistically, taking apart her arguments as if devouring them.
Examples
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In the debate, the speakers argued cannibalistically, tearing down each other's points harshly rather than focusing on their own.
-
Writing cannibalistically, I eat Simone Weil, chew her tormented flesh and the substance of her suffering, in order to share this (tainted?) food with others.
Academic text (2001) -
He approached the competition cannibalistically, undermining his fellow artists instead of collaborating with them.
How Savage
Surface Forms
Morphology
cannibalistically = cannibalistic (transparent) = cannibal + istic + ally
Formed by adding the adverbial suffix '-ally' to the adjective 'cannibalistic', a regular and recognizable derivation.
Etymology
Cannibalistically comes from the word cannibal, which was used for people said to 'eat human flesh'. So to act cannibalistically in this literal sense is to behave like a cannibal, that is, to threaten or harm others as if you would eat them.