Definition

1. Noun:
   • The practice of eating human flesh; cannibalism: "Anthropophagy" refers specifically to the act or custom of humans consuming the flesh of other humans.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Historical accounts describe tribes that practiced anthropophagy as part of ritual ceremonies.
  • The explorer's tales of anthropophagy among remote islanders fascinated and horrified his audience.

Advanced Usage

• "Ritual anthropophagy": The consumption of human flesh as part of a religious or ceremonial practice, as opposed to survival.

  • Some ancient cultures engaged in ritual anthropophagy to absorb the strength of their enemies.

• "Criminal anthropophagy": The act of cannibalism associated with psychopathic or criminal behavior.

  • The court case revealed disturbing details of criminal anthropophagy.

Variants and Related Words

• Anthropophagous (adj): Relating to or practicing cannibalism.

  • The anthropophagous tribe was a subject of anthropological study.

• Anthropophagite (n): A person who eats human flesh; a cannibal.

  • The myth described the creature as a fearsome anthropophagite.

Synonyms

• Cannibalism: The practice of eating the flesh of one's own species.
• Man-eating: (Informal) The act of consuming humans.

Related Phrases

(Note: "Anthropophagy" is a specific noun and does not commonly form phrasal verbs. Related phrases are conceptual.) - To practice anthropophagy: To engage in cannibalism. - The isolated group was rumored to practice anthropophagy.

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms directly using the word "anthropophagy." The concept is typically referenced directly or through the more common term "cannibalism.")

Noun

1. human cannibalism; the eating of human flesh