long pig

Definition

Noun (chiefly historical or anthropological, often used in a derogatory or sensationalized context):
- Human flesh as food: "long pig" is a term used to refer to human meat when considered as a source of sustenance, particularly in the context of cannibalism. The term is believed to have originated from the practice of certain Pacific Island cultures, where human flesh was described as resembling pork in taste and texture, but with a longer body shape.

Usage Examples

• (The term was used as a euphemism for human meat.)
• (The phrase denotes human flesh used in ritual feasting.)

Advanced Usage

• "to eat long pig": a euphemistic expression for the act of cannibalism.
  • The novel includes a scene where the stranded sailors are forced to eat long pig to survive. (The characters resort to cannibalism out of desperation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pig (n): the domesticated animal , often raised for meat.
  • The farmer raised pigs for pork production. (Pigs are a common source of meat.)
    Note: "long pig" is a compound term, not a variant of "pig."

Synonyms

• Human meat: flesh of a human being used as food.
• Cannibal meat: meat from a human consumed by another human.
• Man-flesh (archaic): human flesh considered as food.

Related Idioms

• To be a long pig: (rare, figurative) to be in a situation where one is vulnerable to being exploited or consumed, especially in a predatory context.
  • In the cutthroat corporate world, the new intern felt like a long pig among wolves. (The intern felt preyed upon by more experienced colleagues.)