noun
carcinoma
kar-sih-NOH-muh
Carcinoma (noun) means a malignant tumour that grows from epithelial tissue and tends to spread to other parts of the body. Example: “The biopsy confirmed a carcinoma in the lining of the bowel.”
noun
1
medical A malignant tumour that grows from epithelial tissue and tends to spread to other parts of the body.
"The biopsy confirmed a carcinoma in the lining of the bowel."
"She was treated for a carcinoma of the skin."
"Doctors classify each carcinoma by the type of tissue it began in."
How to use carcinoma
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA type of cancerous tumour that starts in the tissue lining organs and body surfaces.
When to use it
It is a technical medical term, used mainly in clinical and scientific writing.
Common pairings
basal cell carcinoma
squamous cell carcinoma
carcinoma of the breast
invasive carcinoma
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The biopsy confirmed a _____ in the lining of the bowel.
Etymology
English borrowed the word from Latin carcinoma, which came from Ancient Greek karkinoma, meaning a sore or cancer. The Greek is linked to karkinos, meaning crab, and English cancer is a doublet of it.
Rhymes for carcinoma
See all rhymes for carcinoma →Frequently asked questions
What does carcinoma mean?
A carcinoma is a malignant tumour that starts in epithelial tissue and can spread to other areas of the body.
What is the plural of carcinoma?
The plural is carcinomas or, in a more learned form, carcinomata.
Is carcinoma the same as cancer?
A carcinoma is one kind of cancer. The word cancer is broader and covers other types of malignancy too.
What is the meaning of carcinoma?
"carcinoma" (noun) means a malignant tumour that grows from epithelial tissue and tends to spread to other parts of the body.
