sarcoma

noun

sar·​co·​ma sär-ˈkō-mə 

plural sarcomas also sarcomata sär-ˈkō-mə-tə 

: a malignant tumor arising in tissue (such as connective tissue, bone, cartilage, or striated muscle) of mesodermal origin see also ewing's sarcoma, kaposi's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, rous sarcoma

sarcomatous

sär-ˈkō-mə-təs 

adjective

sarcomatous tumors

Examples of sarcoma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At age 15, Weeks was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer of the bone and soft tissue. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026

Stephen said he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma — a type of cancer that most often affects children and young adults in their legs or pelvis — in late 2023. — Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026

The then-23-year-old was subsequently diagnosed with Stage 4 synovial sarcoma. — Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026

There are even some rare forms of skin cancer, such as Merkel cell carcinoma and Kaposi sarcoma, that are primarily driven by viruses, noted Nghiem. — Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin sarcōmat-, sarcōma "fleshy excrescence, tumor," borrowed from Greek sárkōma "fleshy excrescence," from sarkō-, stem of sarkoûn "to make fleshy, (middle voice) to become fleshy" (verbal derivative of sark-, sárx "flesh, piece of meat") + -ma, resultative noun suffix — more at sarco-

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sarcoma

• Ewing sarcoma
• Ewing's sarcoma
• Kaposi's sarcoma
• osteogenic sarcoma
• Rous sarcoma

Rhymes for sarcoma

• misnomer
• angiosarcoma
• osteosarcoma
• chondrosarcoma
• enantiomer
• fibrosarcoma
• lymphosarcoma
• comber
• gomer
• omer
• vomer
• leiomyosarcoma

Medical Definition

sarcoma

noun

sar·​co·​ma sär-ˈkō-mə 

plural sarcomas also sarcomata -mət-ə 

: a malignant tumor arising in tissue of mesodermal origin (as connective tissue, bone, cartilage, or striated muscle) that spreads by extension into neighboring tissue or by way of the bloodstream see also ewing's sarcoma, kaposi's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, rous sarcoma, spindle-cell sarcoma compare carcinoma