Cannibalism
/ˈkæn.ɪ.bəl.ɪ.zəm/noun
The practice of eating human flesh.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Columbus-era Spanish Caníbales, a name applied to the Carib people and linked by Europeans to rumors of flesh-eating, so the term’s history is tied to conquest, fear, and propaganda.
Etymological Timeline
Late 15th Century
Spanish
caníbal
“A supposed flesh-eating person, originally tied to reports about the Carib people in the Americas.”
Late 15th Century
Spanish/Latin
Caniba / Canibales
“Names used in Columbus-era reports for peoples in the Caribbean, later associated with alleged cannibalism.”
16th Century
French
cannibale
“A flesh-eating human being.”
16th Century
English
cannibal
“A person who eats human flesh.”
17th Century
English
cannibalism
“The practice or custom of eating human flesh.”
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