carcinogen

[ kahr-sin-uh-juhn, -jen, kahr-suh-nuh-jen, -noh- ]

/ kɑrˈsɪn ə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn, ˈkɑr sə nəˌdʒɛn, -noʊ- /

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See synonyms for: carcinogen / carcinogenic on Thesaurus.com

noun Pathology.

any substance or agent that tends to produce a cancer.

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Origin of carcinogen

First recorded in 1935–40; carcino- + -gen

OTHER WORDS FROM carcinogen

car·cin·o·gen·ic

[kahr-suh-nuh-jen-ik, -noh-], /ˌkɑr sə nəˈdʒɛn ɪk, -noʊ-/, adjectivecar·ci·no·ge·nic·i·ty

[kahr-suh-noh-juh-nis-i-tee], /ˌkɑr sə noʊ dʒəˈnɪs ɪ ti/, nounan·ti·car·cin·o·gen, nounan·ti·car·cin·o·gen·ic, adjective

Words nearby carcinogen

carcass, Carcassonne, carceral, Carchemish, carcino-, carcinogen, carcinogenesis, carcinogenic, carcinoid, carcinoid syndrome, carcinoma

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use carcinogen in a sentence

When the bacteria blooms, it can emit thousands of different kinds of toxins, including saxitoxin, which causes paralysis, and the liver toxin and carcinogen microcystin.
Toxic Algal Blooms Are Growing Out of Control|jversteegh|August 26, 2021|Outside Online
She grew to realize that her mom, aunts, and friends all used the skin-lightening creams she’d borrowed after school, many of which contain toxins and even carcinogens.
How digital beauty filters perpetuate colorism|Tate Ryan-Mosley|August 15, 2021|MIT Technology Review
It can cause scalp irritation and hair loss as well as being a known carcinogen.
Does This OGX Shampoo Ingredient Really Make Your Hair Fall Out?|Alaina Demopoulos|July 14, 2021|The Daily Beast
In 2015, the World Health Organization commissioned a report that warned e-cigarettes might damage the lungs and expose users to carcinogens.
How Juul Got Vaporized|Jamie Ducharme|May 17, 2021|Time

That’s 200 times higher than the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s recommended risk level for limiting worker exposure to any carcinogen.
The Coal Plant Next Door|by Max Blau for Georgia Health News|March 22, 2021|ProPublica
The coal ash deposits have heavy concentrations of hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen.
Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco Chronicle Mining Catastrophes in West Virginia|Chris Hedges, Joe Sacco|June 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
One study found it to be 30 times more potent a carcinogen.
The Fireplace Delusion: A Metaphor for Religious Belief|Sam Harris|February 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Further, estrogen or carcinogen exposure over a lifetime leads to the development of cancer.
How Mom's Hip Size Predicts Her Daughter's Risk|Kent L. Thornburg, PhD|October 24, 2009|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for carcinogen

carcinogen

/ (kɑːˈsɪnədʒən, ˈkɑːsɪnəˌdʒɛn) /

noun

pathol any substance that produces cancer

Derived forms of carcinogen

carcinogenic, adjectivecarcinogenicity, noun

Word Origin for carcinogen

C20: from Greek karkinos cancer + -gen

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

Scientific definitions for carcinogen

carcinogen

[ kär-sĭn′ə-jən ]

A substance or agent that can cause cells to become cancerous by altering their genetic structure so that they multiply continuously and become malignant. Asbestos, DDT, and tobacco smoke are examples of carcinogens.

carcinogen

Origin of carcinogen

OTHER WORDS FROM carcinogen

Words nearby carcinogen

Words related to carcinogen

How to use carcinogen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for carcinogen

Derived forms of carcinogen

Word Origin for carcinogen

Scientific definitions for carcinogen