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

Add in a dash of horror and the lingering threat of cannibalism, and Yellowjackets proves there is nothing scarier than a group of teenagers determined to survive. —James Mercadante, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025

While nearly one thousand years apart, this isn’t the first time cannibalism has been observed in the El Mirador cave. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2025

There is prior evidence of cannibalism at the Atapuerca site, including the remains of six Early Bronze Age humans, which included skull caps possibly used as containers during ceremonial consumption. —ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2025

Gruesome evidence of mayhem, murder, and even cannibalism sometimes appear amidst the clay pots and stone tools unearthed by archaeologists. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cannibalism

• activism
• ageism
• albinism
• altruism
• aneurism
• animism
• aphorism
• atomism
• barbarism
• bolshevism
• botulism
• brahmanism

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