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

Born in Los Angeles, the celebrity conductor and former child prodigy died Wednesday of glioblastoma, a representative for Tilson Thomas confirmed to The Times. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026

The legendary conductor Michael Tilson Thomas died yesterday, at the age of eighty-one, of glioblastoma. —Austin Elias-De Jesus, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026

Surrounded by friends and family, Tilson Thomas died at his home in San Francisco from glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, the New World Symphony confirmed. —Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026

Thomas died on Wednesday, April 22, five years after he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive type of brain cancer, according to a statement shared to his Instagram. —Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for glioblastoma

• ambystoma
• atheroma
• carcinoma
• coloboma
• granuloma
• haematoma
• hamartoma
• hemangioma
• hematoma
• hepatoma
• hybridoma
• melanoma

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