The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word MAN-EATER
M
A
N
-
E
A
T
E
R
More clues leading to the result MAN-EATER
- Cannibal’s mother — of tidier appearance
- Cannibal’s mother more tidy
- What could be lion trapping an ox, perhaps, in endless plain
- Old woman less dishevelled: she’s always looking for a chap?
- Married a smarter woman with quite an appetite
- She often ditches mates with long hair at hospital department
- Female with male appetite in staff restaurant closing early
- A tiger, for example, better groomed by mother
- Voracious woman in shock at emergency room
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Cannibal" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case cannibal = man-eater.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MAN-EATER mean?
MAN-EATER noun- An animal that has a reputation for eating humans, such as the tiger or shark.
- A cannibal.
- (by extension) A seductive dangerous woman, often readily taking and discarding male romantic partners.