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cannibalism

cannibalism

26 7.5
Eating members of the same species, for example people eating other people
  • noun
  • /ˈkænɪbəlˌɪzəm/
  • Offensive
translation icon : canibalismo
  • In extreme circumstances, such as famine, some survivors have resorted to cannibalism to stay alive.
  • indiscriminate cannibalism
  • cannibalism at funerals
  • sacrifice and cannibalism

Just to give you some context, the famine that we're talking about led to cannibalism.

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Examples

  • Polynesians have practiced cannibalism for centuries.

  • According to legend, during a brutally cold winter... a lost hunter's severe hunger drove him to cannibalism.

  • Find out why with this video, or discover how common human cannibalism is with this video.

  • A far more complex response to cannibalism emerged after the first contact in 1956.

    Academic text (1997)
  • For the first time in the history of humanity, documentation of cannibalism was obtained.

    Academic text (1997)
  • They had to resort to cannibalism in order to stay alive.

  • Reports of cannibalism and sexual mutilations are still unconfirmed at this hour.

  • The second, more common form of cannibalism took place in Wari funerals.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The Wari stopped practicing both forms of cannibalism after they entered sustained contact with outsiders.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Up to this point, the Wari story fits neatly into the standard academic narrative of cannibalism and colonialism.

    Academic text (1997)

Synonyms

cannibalization
vscannibalism
  • Offensive
9.0

An animal or person eating another member of the same species

is the general term for this behaviour across species rather than the act phrasing
anthropophagy
vscannibalism
  • Offensive
9.9

The act of eating the body of another person

is broader, covering eating any species member not only humans
long pig consumption
vscannibalism
  • Offensive
9.9

To eat the body of another person as food

is the straightforward species-level practice, not a euphemistic expression
endocannibalism
vscannibalism
  • Offensive
9.9

Eating members of the same group, often as a ritual

is the wider act of eating same species, not focused on ritual or group
exocannibalism
vscannibalism
  • Offensive
9.9

A practice of eating people from another group, often enemies

is the general species practice without specifying ingroup or outgroup targets

Surface Forms

cannibalism singular
cannibalisms plural

Morphology

cannibalism = cannibal (transparent) = cannibal + ism

The noun 'cannibal' plus the productive suffix '-ism' clearly yields the practice or ideology of cannibalism, which learners can derive from the base.

Etymology

The word cannibalism comes from Spanish Caníbal, which comes from the name of the Caribbean people 'Carib' whom early explorers said ate human flesh. The ending -ism means 'practice', so cannibalism is the practice of eating members of your own species.