carcinogen
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of carcinogen
Explanation
A carcinogen is anything that causes cancer. Cigarette smoke, car exhaust, asbestos: all of these are known carcinogens. Don't even ask about the ones we don't know about... When you see the suffix "-gen" you know you're dealing with something that produces, causes, or generates something. Think of the Book of Genesis, or the beginning of all things. "Carcinoma," the name of a specific type of cancer, comes from the Greek karkinos, which means "crab" and "ulcer," as well as the animal associated with the astrological sign of Cancer. So you can see that carcinogen simply means "generating cancer."
Vocabulary lists containing carcinogen
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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.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers glyphosate a probable human carcinogen.
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
The World Health Organization counts UV-emitting tanning beds as a Group 1 carcinogen, alongside other known human carcinogens like tobacco cigarettes and asbestos.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
The FDA formally recognized the dye as a carcinogen in 1990, banning its use in cosmetics and externally applied drugs.
From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026
Its active ingredient is glyphosate, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a unit of the World Health Organization, identified in 2015 as a probable human carcinogen.
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026
An example of a carcinogen belonging to the group of new, organic pesticides is a chemical widely used against mites and ticks.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
