Cannibalization

C2 16+

Pronunciation: /ˌkænɪbəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/

Definitions of cannibalization

noun the act of consuming or using something for one's own benefit, often resulting in the depletion or destruction of the original source

Example Sentences

A1 Cannibalization is when one company's product takes sales away from another product within the same company.

A2 The concept of cannibalization is often discussed in business strategy to understand the impact of launching new products.

B1 Companies need to carefully consider the potential cannibalization effects before introducing a new product into the market.

B2 Market research can help companies identify potential cannibalization risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.

C1 Successful companies are able to manage cannibalization by strategically positioning their products to target different customer segments.

C2 The marketing team conducted a thorough analysis of cannibalization trends to optimize product offerings and maximize overall sales.

Examples of cannibalization in a Sentence

formal The company decided to launch a new product line to prevent cannibalization of their existing offerings.

informal They didn't want the new product to eat into sales of their other items.

slang They were worried the new release would cannibalize their current sales.

figurative The introduction of the new service led to cannibalization of their previous business model.

Grammatical Forms of cannibalization

past tense

cannibalized

plural

cannibalizations

comparative

more cannibalized

superlative

most cannibalized

present tense

cannibalizes

future tense

will cannibalize

perfect tense

has cannibalized

continuous tense

is cannibalizing

singular

cannibalization

positive degree

cannibalization

infinitive

to cannibalize

gerund

cannibalizing

participle

cannibalizing

Origin and Evolution of cannibalization

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Spanish
Story behind the word: The word 'cannibalization' is derived from the Spanish word 'canibalismo', which in turn comes from the Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus' misinterpretation of the indigenous Carib people as cannibals.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe the act of consuming human flesh, 'cannibalization' has evolved to also refer to the practice of using parts from one product to repair or build another product, especially in business contexts.