melanoma

noun

mel·​a·​no·​ma ˌme-lə-ˈnō-mə 

plural melanomas also melanomata ˌme-lə-ˈnō-mə-tə 

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

Researchers at the University of Florida and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center analyzed data from more than 1,000 cancer patients with Stage 3 and 4 non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic melanoma who were treated at MD Anderson from 2019 to 2023. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025

Antagonistic stem cell fates under stress govern decisions between hair greying and melanoma. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025

Then, she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025

The researchers also compared the survival rates in a smaller group of patients getting immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma. —Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

melan- (in melanosis, melanotic) + -oma

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing melanoma

• malignant melanoma

Rhymes for melanoma

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

Kids Definition

melanoma

noun

mel·​a·​no·​ma ˌmel-ə-ˈnō-mə 

plural melanomas also melanomata -mət-ə 

: a usually malignant tumor containing dark pigment

Medical Definition

melanoma

noun

mel·​a·​no·​ma ˌmel-ə-ˈnō-mə 

plural melanomas also melanomata -mət-ə 

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