Anthropophaginian

/ˌænθroʊpoʊfəˈdʒɪniən/ noun

Definition

A person belonging to or from the Anthropophagi; a cannibal or member of a cannibalistic people.

Etymology

From anthropophagi + -nian (suffix meaning 'belonging to'), created to describe inhabitants of regions Europeans labeled as cannibal peoples.

Kelly Says

This word is almost never used today—it's a perfect example of how scientific-sounding terminology was invented to justify ideas about 'primitive' peoples that were often completely false.

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