tumour
Also spelled tumor (US spelling)
Tumour (noun) means (British spelling) An abnormal mass of tissue that grows in the body, which may be benign or cancerous. Example: “Surgeons successfully removed the tumour before it could spread.”
How to use tumour
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe British spelling of "tumor" — an abnormal lump or growth of tissue in the body.
Use "tumour" in British/Commonwealth English and "tumor" in American English.
Word forms
- Plural
- tumours
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Surgeons successfully removed the _____ before it could spread.
Etymology
From Latin tumor ("a swelling"), from tumēre ("to swell") — a distant relative of the English word "thumb."