cannibalization

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/ˌkanɪbəlʌɪˈzeɪʃn/

noun

the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food

OriginEnglish cannibal ← Spanish caníba ← Proto-Cariban *karipona →
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Meanings

nouncannibalization (plural cannibalizations)

plural cannibalizations · alternative cannibalisation

  1. The act of cannibalizing.
    1. the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food
    2. adapting, borrowing or stealing plots, characters, themes or ideas from one story for use in another or from one medium to another
    3. businessa reduction in sales volume, sales revenue, or market share of one product when the same company introduces a new product
    4. the practice of removing parts or subsystems necessary for repair from another similar device

Origin

  1. Proto-Cariban*karipona
  2. Spanishcaribe
  3. Spanishcaríbal
  4. Spanishcaníba
  5. Englishcannibal
  6. Englishcannibalization

From cannibal + -ization.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kannibalisointi
  • kannibalisointiact
Cite this entry
APA

cannibalization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cannibalization

MLA

“cannibalization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cannibalization. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cannibalization,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cannibalization.

Source: cannibalization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.