melanoma

noun

mel·​a·​no·​ma ˌme-lə-ˈnō-mə How to pronounce melanoma (audio)
plural melanomas also melanomata ˌme-lə-ˈnō-mə-tə How to pronounce melanoma (audio)
1
: a tumor containing dark pigment
2
: a highly malignant tumor that starts in melanocytes of normal skin or moles and metastasizes rapidly and widely

Examples of melanoma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Kaden’s father, Keith, was diagnosed with melanoma and lost his battle when Kaden was just 7 years old. Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023 Invasive melanomas are classified by stages 1 through 4. Enrique Torchia, Fortune Well, 20 Aug. 2023 Ball cap keeping melanoma off the bald spot, sunglasses at the ready on Croakies around the neck. Hank Stuever, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2023 His death, in a hospice facility, was caused by complications of metastatic melanoma, said Ellen Tuttle, a spokeswoman for the Nieman Foundation. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2023 But that figure drops down to 32% once the melanoma has spread to other organs. Sara Moniuszko, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2023 The first description of melanoma – the most serious type of skin cancer – dates to 1804 and came from the same French doctor who 12 years later invented the stethoscope, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2023 The first and most cited human trial to provide evidence that sunscreen use reduces the incidence of melanoma was a randomized trial conducted in 2011 in Australia. Grace Browne, WIRED, 12 July 2023 Black men are at a higher risk of death from melanoma than other racial groups, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD). Claretta Bellamy, NBC News, 11 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'melanoma.' 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

melan- (in melanosis, melanotic) + -oma

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of melanoma was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near melanoma

Cite this Entry

“Melanoma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melanoma. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

melanoma

noun
mel·​a·​no·​ma ˌmel-ə-ˈnō-mə How to pronounce melanoma (audio)
plural melanomas also melanomata -mət-ə How to pronounce melanoma (audio)
: a usually malignant tumor containing dark pigment

Medical Definition

melanoma

noun
mel·​a·​no·​ma ˌmel-ə-ˈnō-mə How to pronounce melanoma (audio)
plural melanomas also melanomata -mət-ə How to pronounce melanoma (audio)
1
: a benign or malignant skin tumor containing dark pigment
2
: a tumor of high malignancy that starts in melanocytes of normal skin or moles and metastasizes rapidly and widely

called also malignant melanoma, melanocarcinoma, melanoepithelioma, melanosarcoma

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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