Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

carcinoma

American  
[kahr-suh-noh-muh] / ˌkɑr səˈnoʊ mə /

noun

Pathology.

plural

carcinomas, carcinomata

  1. a malignant and invasive epithelial tumor that spreads by metastasis and often recurs after excision; cancer.

carcinoma British  
/ ˌkɑːsɪˈnəʊmə /

noun

  1. any malignant tumour derived from epithelial tissue

  2. another name for cancer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
carcinoma Scientific  
/ kär′sə-nō′mə /

plural

carcinomas

  1. Any of various cancerous tumors that are derived from epithelial tissue of the skin, blood vessels, or other organs and that tend to metastasize to other parts of the body.

  2. See also basal cell carcinoma squamous cell carcinoma

carcinoma Cultural  

  1. A malignant tumor in the tissues that make up the skin, glands, mucous membranes, and lining of organs.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of carcinoma

1715–25; < Latin: ulcer, tumor < Greek karkínōma; see carcino-, -oma

Compare meaning

How does carcinoma compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rivera, 58, was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a lymph node which was discovered in a self-check, the team said in a statement.

From Fox News • Aug. 21, 2020

Figure 5.18 Basal Cell Carcinoma Basal cell carcinoma can take several different forms.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Carcinoma of the ovary is rarely primary, but it is a common situation for secondary cancer to that of the breast, gall-bladder or gastro-intestinal tract.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 7 "Gyantse" to "Hallel" by Various

Carcinoma is by far the most common form of new growth met with in the tongue, and it is almost invariably a squamous epithelioma.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

Carcinoma and sarcoma sometimes grow from the muco-periosteum in the region of the ethmoid.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.