noun
canker
KANG-kuh
Canker (noun) means a disease that causes decay in plants, or the damaged area it leaves behind. Example: “The orchard lost several apple trees to canker.”
noun
1
A disease that causes decay in plants, or the damaged area it leaves behind.
"The orchard lost several apple trees to canker."
2
A painful sore, especially inside the mouth.
"A canker sore made it hard for him to eat spicy food."
3
Figuratively, something that slowly corrupts or destroys from within.
"Corruption became a canker eating away at the institution."
verb
1
To corrode, corrupt, or slowly destroy.
"Years of resentment cankered their friendship."
How to use canker
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sore or diseased spot, or something that quietly corrupts and eats away at something good.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
canker sore
a canker on society
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Word forms
- Plural
- cankers
- Third person singular
- cankers
- Past tense
- cankered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The orchard lost several apple trees to _____.
Etymology
From Old English cancer, "cancer" or "crab," ultimately from Latin cancer. A doublet of "cancer" and "chancre."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for canker
See all rhymes for canker →Frequently asked questions
What does “canker” mean?
The word “canker” means a disease that causes decay in plants, or the damaged area it leaves behind. In plain terms, a sore or diseased spot, or something that quietly corrupts and eats away at something good.
How do you pronounce “canker”?
“Canker” is pronounced KANG-kuh (/ˈkæŋkɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “canker” in a sentence?
Here is “canker” used in a sentence: “The orchard lost several apple trees to canker.”
What is another word for “canker”?
Words with a similar meaning to “canker” include encanker.
What part of speech is “canker”?
Depending on how it is used, “canker” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “canker” come from?
The word “canker” comes from Latin. From Old English cancer, "cancer" or "crab," ultimately from Latin cancer. A doublet of "cancer" and "chancre.".
How many meanings does “canker” have?
“Canker” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a disease that causes decay in plants, or the damaged area it leaves behind.
