cannibalism

/ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m/

//ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cannibalism" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cannibalism” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #28,477. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#28,477
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of eating another of one's own species.

Key facts for cannibalism
PropertyValue
Headwordcannibalism
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m/
Letters11
Frequency rank#28,477
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cannibalism” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cannibalism lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around cannibalism (IPA /ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #28,477 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for cannibalism, with forms such as "acnnibalism", "canibalism", and "caninbalism". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From cannibal + -ism. The correct English form is cannibalism, spelled C-A-N-N-I-B-A-L-I-S-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of eating another of one's own species.
  2. 2
    An act in which one thing consumes or takes over another of the same kind.
  3. 3
    In speech, the occurrence of one word eliding part or all of the next word, because the syllables are the same.

Etymology

From cannibal + -ism.

This word in other languages

antropofagia(Español)cannibalisme(Français)Kannibalismus(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • acnnibalism
  • canibalism
  • caninbalism
  • cannbialism
  • canniablism
  • cannibailsm
  • cannibalims
  • cannibalismm
  • cannibalissm
  • canniballism
  • cannibalsim
  • cannibbalism
  • canniblaism
  • ccannibalism
  • cnanibalism

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cannibalism - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

acnnibalism2canibalism1caninbalism2cannbialism2canniablism2cannibailsm2cannibalims2cannibalismm1
Edit distance from "cannibalism"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cannibalism"?
"cannibalism" is spelled C-A-N-N-I-B-A-L-I-S-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m/.
What does "cannibalism" mean?
As a noun, "cannibalism" means: The act of eating another of one's own species.
What are common misspellings of "cannibalism"?
Common misspellings include "acnnibalism", "canibalism", "caninbalism", "cannbialism", "canniablism". The correct spelling is "cannibalism".
How do you pronounce "cannibalism"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cannibalism" is /ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cannibalism"?
From cannibal + -ism. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cannibalism”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-N-N-I-B-A-L-I-S-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list