man-eater

noun

man-eat·​er ˈman-ˌē-tər How to pronounce man-eater (audio)
: one that has or is thought to have an appetite for human flesh: such as
a
b
or man-eating shark : mackerel shark
especially : great white shark
c
: a large feline (such as a lion or tiger) that has acquired the habit of feeding on human flesh
man-eating adjective

Examples of man-eater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
After being possessed by a demon, high school queen bee Jennifer (Megan Fox) transforms into a literal man-eater, preying on lustful boys. Lia Beck, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024 The discovery of human DNA wasn’t all that revelatory—the lions got their man-eater nickname for a good reason. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Oct. 2024 While the night may have been about the men of the 2023, Megan thee Stallion looked every part a glamorous man-eater. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of man-eater was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near man-eater

Cite this Entry

“Man-eater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/man-eater. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

man-eater

noun
man-eat·​er
ˈman-ˌēt-ər
: one (as a cannibal, shark, or tiger) that has or is thought to have an appetite for human flesh
man-eating
-ˌēt-iŋ
adjective

Medical Definition

man-eater

noun
man-eat·​er ˈman-ˌēt-ər How to pronounce man-eater (audio)
: one (as a great white shark) that has or is thought to have an appetite for human flesh
man-eating adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on man-eater

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