glioblastoma

noun

glio·blas·to·ma ˌglī-ō-ˌbla-ˈstō-mə

variants or less commonly glioblastoma multiforme

-ˌməlt-ə-ˈfȯrm-ē

plural glioblastomas also glioblastomata ˌglī-ō-ˌbla-ˈstō-mə-tə

or glioblastomas multiforme or glioblastoma multiformes

: a malignant rapidly growing astrocytoma of the central nervous system and usually of a cerebral hemisphere

Examples of glioblastoma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Treharne’s 17-year-old son Ethan battled a glioblastoma brain tumor for two years before passing away in Nov. 2021, according to SWNS. —

Brittany Kasko, Fox News, 8 Nov. 2023 The cause was glioblastoma brain cancer, his family said through an HOK spokeswoman. —

Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2023 Hazen, in his seventh year as GM, nearly left the game in August 2022 after his wife, Nicole, died following a 26-month battle with glioblastoma, a malignant brain cancer, but his four sons, now ages 13 to 17, talked him out of it. —

Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023 The diagnosis was glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer. —

Kevin Cullen, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2023 Mary Eileen Mullen, a human services worker who counseled people in economic distress, died of glioblastoma Sept. 2 at her Hamilton home. —

Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 13 Sep. 2023 Within 24 hours, he was diagnosed with a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumor, known as glioblastoma. —

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2023 Since she was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer called glioblastoma in July 2021, Walker, along with her friends and family, worked tirelessly to raise awareness and funding to benefit survivors of the rare disease. —

Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2023 Her death, at a hospice facility for L.G.B.T.Q. people, was caused by glioblastoma, her son Benjamin Weaver said. —

Penelope Green, New York Times, 13 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glioblastoma.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from glia glia + blast- + -oma

First Known Use

circa 1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of glioblastoma was circa 1923

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Glioblastoma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glioblastoma. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

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Medical Definition

glioblastoma

noun

glio·blas·to·ma ˌglī-(ˌ)ō-bla-ˈstō-mə

plural glioblastomas also glioblastomata -mət-ə

: a malignant rapidly growing astrocytoma of the central nervous system and usually of a cerebral hemisphere

Glioblastoma is the worst grade of malignant glioma, a relatively uncommon but deadly class of brain tumors that kills 97% of those diagnosed within 5 years.—

Greg Miller, Science

called also glioblastoma multiforme