canker

noun can·ker \ ˈkaŋ-kər \

Definition of canker

1 a (1) :an erosive or spreading sore

(2) :an area of necrosis in a plant; also :a plant disease characterized by cankers

Citrus canker is caused by bacteria.

b :any of various disorders of animals marked by chronic inflammatory changes

2 archaic :a caterpillar destructive to plants

3 chiefly dialectal :rust 1

4 :a source of corruption or debasement

suspicion is a canker that … will consume and waste all love
—R. Sibbes

5 chiefly dialectal :dog rose

—

cankerous

play \ˈkaŋ-k(ə-)rəs\ adjective

See canker defined for English-language learners

See canker defined for kids

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Recent Examples of canker from the Web

Will legislators finally pay homeowners for citrus trees cut down during canker scare?

— mary ellen klas, miamiherald, "Remember that citrus canker payment you were promised? Here’s the latest.," 21 June 2017
Citrus canker, spread by wind and rain, discolors fruit and weakens trees.

— tonya alanez, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Broward homeowners fight Gov. Rick Scott's citrus canker veto," 20 June 2017
The cankers are generally found at the tips of branches but can spread down the stem to affect more of the plant.

— tim johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Halt golden canker disease in dogwoods with careful pruning," 8 May 2017
Yet many of the film’s participants consider the canker of authoritarianism to be a part of their own heritage as Germans.

— richard brody, The New Yorker, "How America Receives Refugees," 13 Feb. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of canker

Middle English, from Anglo-French cancre, chancre, from Latin cancer crab, cancer

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

canker

verb

Definition of canker

cankered; cankering play \ˈkaŋ-k(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

1 obsolete :to infect with a spreading sore

2 :to corrupt the spirit of

a relationship cankered by jealousy

intransitive verb

1 :to become infested with canker

2 :to become corrupted

Examples of canker in a Sentence

such shameless ambulance chasing cankers the legal profession

Did You Know?

Canker is commonly known as the name for a type of spreading sore that eats into the tissue-a use that obviously furnished the verb with both its medical and figurative senses. The word ultimately traces back to Latin cancer, which can refer to a crab or a malignant tumor. The Greeks have a similar word, "karkinos," and according to the Ancient Greek physician Galen the tumor got its name from the way the swollen veins surrounding the affected part resembled a crab's limbs. "Cancer" was adopted into Old English, becoming "canker" in Middle English and eventually shifting in meaning to become a general term for ulcerations. "Cancer" itself was reintroduced to English later, first as a zodiacal word and then as a medical term.

Origin and Etymology of canker

see ¹canker

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

canker Synonyms

Synonyms

abase, bastardize, debase, cheapen, corrupt, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp

Antonyms

elevate, ennoble, uplift

Related Words

befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken; descend; disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down; blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck; depreciate, downgrade

Near Antonyms

dignify, exalt, honor; ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect; clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore; respect

CANKER Defined for English Language Learners

canker

noun

Definition of canker for English Language Learners

: something that causes bad things to happen
: any of various plant diseases

Medical Dictionary

canker

noun can·ker \ ˈkaŋ-kər \

medical Definition of canker

1 a (1) :an erosive or spreading sore

(2) obsolete :gangrene

b :canker sore

2 a :a chronic inflammation of the ear in dogs, cats, or rabbits; especially :a localized form of mange

b :a chronic and progressive inflammation of the deep horn-producing tissues of the frog and sole of the hooves of horses resulting in softening and destruction of the horny layers