cannibal

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: can=ni=bal

CIDE DICTIONARY

cannibal, n. [Cf. F. cannibale. Columbus, in a letter to the Spanish monarchs written in Oct., 1498, mentions that the people of Haiti lived in great fear of the Caribales (equivalent to E. Caribbees.), the inhabitants of the smaller Antilles; which form of the name was afterward changed into NL. Canibales, in order to express more forcibly their character by a word intelligible through a Latin root “propter rabiem caninam anthropophagorum gentis.” The Caribbees call themselves, in their own language. Calinago, Carinago, Calliponam, and, abbreviated, Calina, signifying a brave, from which Columbus formed his Caribales.].

 A human being that eats human flesh; hence, any that devours its own kind.  Darwin.  [1913 Webster]

cannibal, a. 

 Relating to cannibals or cannibalism.  Burke.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cannibal, n. & adj.
--n.
1 a person who eats human flesh.
2 an animal that feeds on flesh of its own species.
--adj. of or like a cannibal.

Derivative

cannibalism n. cannibalistic adj. cannibalistically adv.

Etymology

orig. pl. Canibales f. Sp.: var. of Caribes name of a W.Ind. nation

DEVIL DICTIONARY

cannibal

n. A gastronome of the old school who preserves the simple tastes and adheres to the natural diet of the pre-pork period.

THESAURUS

cannibal

Brillat-Savarin, Cain, Lucullus, amphibian, animal, anthropophagite, apache, aquatic, assassin, assassinator, barbarian, beast, biped, bloodletter, bloodshedder, board-and-roomer, boarder, bon vivant, bravo, brute, burker, butcher, button man, canine, cannibalistic, carnivore, carnivorous, commensal, connoisseur of food, consumer, cosmopolite, cutthroat, desperado, destroyer, dietetic, diner, diner-out, dining, eater, eater-out, eating, epicure, eradicator, executioner, exterminator, feeder, feeding, feline, flesh-eater, flesh-eating, fruitarian, garroter, gastronome, gastronomic, glutton, gluttonous, gnawer, gorilla, gourmand, gourmet, grain-eater, grain-eating, graminivore, graminivorous, granivore, granivorous, grass-eating, gun, gunman, gunsel, hatchet man, head-hunter, herbivore, herbivorous, high liver, hit man, homicidal maniac, homicide, hungry mouth, hyena, insect-eating, insectivore, insectivorous, invertebrate, killer, lactovegetarian, luncher, mammal, mammalian, man-eater, man-eating, man-killer, manslayer, marsupial, marsupialian, massacrer, matador, meat-eater, meat-eating, mensal, mouth, murderer, nihilist, nourishing, nutritious, omnivore, omnivorous, omophagist, omophagous, pantophagist, pantophagous, pesticide, phytivorous, phytophage, phytophagous, picnicker, plant-eater, plant-eating, poison, poisoner, postprandial, prandial, predacean, predacious, preprandial, primate, quadruped, reptile, rodent, ruminant, savage, scavenger, shark, slaughterer, slayer, strangler, thug, tiger, torpedo, trencherman, trigger man, ungulate, vandal, varmint, vegetable-eating, vegetarian, vermin, vertebrate, wild man, wrecker

ROGET THESAURUS

cannibal

Evil doer

N evil doer, evil worker, wrongdoer, mischief-maker, marplot, oppressor, tyrant, destroyer, Vandal, iconoclast, firebrand, incendiary, fire bug, pyromaniac, anarchist, communist, terrorist, savage, brute, ruffian, barbarian, semibarbarian, caitiff, desperado, Apache, hoodlum, hood, plug-ugly, Red Skin, tough, Mohawk, Mo-hock, Mo-hawk, bludgeon man, bully, rough, hooligan, larrikin, dangerous classes, ugly customer, thief, cockatrice, scorpion, hornet, snake, viper, adder, snake in the grass, serpent, cobra, asp, rattlesnake, anaconda, canker-worm, wire-worm, locust, Colorado beetle, alacran, alligator, caymon, crocodile, mosquito, mugger, octopus, torpedo, bane, cutthroat, cannibal, anthropophagus, anthropophagist, bloodsucker, vampire, ogre, ghoul, gorilla, vulture, gyrfalcon, gerfalcon, wild beast, tiger, hyena, butcher, hangman, blood-hound, hell- hound, sleuth-hound, catamount, cougar, jaguar, puma, hag, hellhag, beldam, Jezebel, monster, fiend, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Frankenstein's monster, harpy, siren, Furies, Eumenides, Hun, Attila, scourge of the human race, faenum habet in cornu.