cancer

CEFRB2

/ˈkænsə/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A serious disease in which abnormal cells grow uncontrollably.

  2. 02

    noun

    A sign of the zodiac represented by a crab.

Examples

  • European researchers say olive oil could help prevent cancer.

  • Smokers are far more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers are.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Extremely unpleasant and annoying.

  2. Something damaging that spreads throughout something else.

  3. A disease in which the cells of a tissue undergo uncontrolled (and often rapid) proliferation.

More examples

In context

  • Tiny particles in the air can cause cancer.

  • I used to love this game, but the new meta is straight up cancer.

  • If successful, Edison and Ford—in 1914—would move society away from the[…]hazards of gasoline cars: air and water pollution, noise and noxiousness, constant coughing and the undeniable rise in cancers caused by smoke exhaust particulates.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Regular checkups can help detect blank early, improving treatment success rates.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Borrowed from Latin cancer (“crab”), a calque of Ancient Greek καρκίνος (karkínos, “crab; ulcer; cancer”) (possibly cognate), applied to cancerous tumors because the enlarged veins resembled the legs of a crab. Doublet of canker and chancre.