can ‧ ni ‧ bal /ˈkænəb ə l, ˈkænɪb ə l/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Spanish ; Origin: Canibal 'member of the Carib people of the West Indies, who were said to eat human flesh' , from Arawakan Caniba , Carib ; CARIB ]
1 . a person who eats human flesh
2 . an animal that eats the flesh of other animals of the same kind
—cannibalism noun [uncountable]
—cannibalistic /ˌkænəbəˈlɪstɪk◂, ˌkænɪbəˈlɪstɪk◂/ adjective