Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "anthropophagus" mutum ne ko dabba mai cin naman ɗan adam. Kalmar da aka samo daga kalmomin Helenanci "anthropos" (ma'anar "mutum") da "phagein" (ma'anar "ci"). Sau da yawa ana amfani da kalmar a ma’ana ta alama don siffanta wani ko wani abu mara tausayi, rashin tausayi, ko cin naman mutane a yanayi.
