cancer

noun can·cer \ ˈkan(t)-sər \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Examples: cancer in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of cancer

1 capitalized

a : a northern zodiacal constellation between Gemini and Leo

b (1) : the fourth sign of the zodiac in astrology — see Signs of the Zodiac Table

(2) : one born under the sign of Cancer

I'm a Taurus, but my best friend is a Cancer.

[Latin, crab, cancer]

a : a malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systemically by metastasis

b : an abnormal bodily state marked by such tumors

3 : something evil or malignant that spreads destructively

the cancer of hidden resentment
—Irish Digest

4 a : an enlarged tumorlike plant growth (such as that of crown gall)

b : a plant disease marked by such growths

—

cancerous

play \ˈkan(t)s-rəs, ˈkan(t)-sə-\ adjective

—

cancerously

adverb

See cancer defined for English-language learners

See cancer defined for kids

Examples of cancer in a Sentence

He was diagnosed with cancer.
She learned that she has cancer.
Eating certain foods may help reduce the risk of cancer.
Advanced cancers are more difficult to treat.
I'm a Taurus, but my best friend is a Cancer.

Recent Examples of cancer from the Web

But the science linking Johnson & Johnson's products to cancer is mixed.

— jericka duncan, CBS News, "Johnson & Johnson still battling thousands of cases involving its talcum powder," 13 July 2018
The company has said concerns about talc’s being linked to cancer are based on inconclusive research.

— New York Times, "Johnson & Johnson Told to Pay $4.7 Billion in Baby Powder Lawsuit," 12 July 2018
Jaap Arriens—NurPhoto via Getty Images Lindsay Durdle died on May 31, succumbing to cancer.

— chris morris, Fortune, "PayPal Threatened Legal Action Against a Customer for Dying—a 'Breach' of Its Rules," 11 July 2018
The man who framed her painting, Stephen Hochhaus, was part of the grief group, having lost his wife to cancer several years earlier.

— azcentral, "Italian restaurant Maui Pasta in Scottsdale is a story of love, loss, pasta," 6 July 2018
Recently, a friend’s daughter posted to celebrate her mother’s two-year cancer-free anniversary.

— robin abrahams, BostonGlobe.com, "A friend shared her cancer diagnosis on Facebook. How can I offer support?," 26 June 2018
Doctors caught the malignancies early and now Aslanian, 19, of La Habra is cancer-free following several rounds of chemotherapy.

— ben brazil, latimes.com, "CHOC to hold prom night for teens battling cancer and for post-treatment survivors," 14 June 2018
The cause was colon cancer, said a daughter, the Rev. Diane Ford Dessables.

— Washington Post, "Community deaths," 13 July 2018
The cause was colon cancer, said her manager, Kathy Olsen.

— washington post, BostonGlobe.com, "Liliane Montevecchi, French cabaret star who won a Tony for ‘Nine,’ dies at 85," 6 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cancer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The Latin word cancer, meaning “crab,” was also given as a name to several diseases. One of the diseases was the abnormal, spreading mass of tissue we call a tumor. A possible explanation for this extended use of cancer is that the Romans thought some tumors looked like many-legged crabs. A French descendant of this Latin word was borrowed into English as canker. It is now applied to several plant and animal disorders. In the 14th century the Latin word cancer in the sense of “tumor” was borrowed directly into English, giving us our modern spelling and sense.

Origin and Etymology of cancer

Middle English, from Latin (genitive Cancri), literally, crab; akin to Greek karkinos crab, cancer

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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CANCER Defined for English Language Learners

cancer

noun

Definition of cancer for English Language Learners

: a serious disease caused by cells that are not normal and that can spread to one or many parts of the body
: something bad or dangerous that causes other bad things to happen
Cancer : the fourth sign of the zodiac that comes between Gemini and Leo and has a crab as its symbol