Standard Lemma guide

cannibalise

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈkænɪbəlaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To eat (parts of) another of one's own species.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, transitive

Examples

  • The female black widow spider is known to cannibalise the male.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To remove parts of (a machine, etc) for use in other similar machines.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, transitive

Examples

  • to cannibalize an old laptop for parts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To reduce sales or market share (for one of one's own products) by introducing another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, transitive

Topics: business

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

Rework old material; rehash.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

use parts of something to repair something else

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cannibalize

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: use, utilize, utilise, apply, employ

6

verb

Meaning 6

eat human flesh

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cannibalize

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: consume, ingest, take in, take, have

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Cariban *kariponader. Spanish caribeder. Spanish caríbalder. Spanish caníbalbor. English cannibal English -ise English cannibalise From cannibal + -ise.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kannibalisoida — to eat one's own species
  • Finnish: harjoittaa ihmissyöntiä — to eat one's own species
  • Spanish: canibalizar — to eat one's own species
  • Swedish: kannibalisera — to eat one's own species
  • Finnish: ottaa osia — to remove parts of
  • Finnish: purkaa varaosiksi — to remove parts of
  • Spanish: desguazar — to remove parts of
  • Spanish: despiezar — to remove parts of
  • Spanish: despezar — to remove parts of
  • Swedish: kannibalisera — to remove parts of
  • Finnish: kannibalisoida — business: to reduce sales or market share of product by introducing another
  • German: kannibalisieren — business: to reduce sales or market share of product by introducing another
  • Swedish: kannibalisera — business: to reduce sales or market share of product by introducing another