cancer — a serious disease caused by cells that are not normal and that can spread to one or many parts of the body
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a serious disease caused by cells that are not normal and that can spread to one or many parts of the body
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkænsər/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother beat cancer and now runs marathons at 70!
- The doctor said my fear of vegetables was like a cancer spreading through my diet.
- Cancer research has made incredible progress in recent years.
cancer
NOUN[/ˈkænsər/]
a serious disease caused by cells that are not normal and that can spread to one or many parts of the body
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Cancer derives from Latin 'cancer', originally meaning 'crab'. Ancient physicians observing malignant tumors noted that the blood vessels radiating from the tumor resembled a crab's legs, leading them to apply this zoological term to the disease.
Breakdown
Cancer (crab) → the disease name adopted from the visual resemblance of spreading tumors and their blood vessels to a crab's splayed legs.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother beat cancer and now runs marathons at 70!”
“The doctor said my fear of vegetables was like a cancer spreading through my diet.”
“Cancer research has made incredible progress in recent years.”
“He jokes that his addiction to online shopping is a cancer on his wallet.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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