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carcinogen

[ kahr-sin-uh-juhn, -jen, kahr-suh-nuh-jen, -noh- ]
/ kɑrˈsɪn ə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn, ˈkɑr sə nəˌdʒɛn, -noʊ- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR carcinogen 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, Carchemish, carcino-, carcinoembryonic antigen, carcinogen, carcinogenesis, carcinogenic, carcinoid, carcinoid syndrome, carcinolytic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to carcinogen

toxin, poison, killer, mutagen

Example sentences from the Web for carcinogen

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

Medical definitions for carcinogen

carcinogen
[ kär-sĭn′ə-jən, kär′sə-nə-jĕn′ ]

n.

A cancer-causing substance or agent.

Other words from carcinogen

car′cin•o•gen′ic (kär′sə-nə-jĕn′ĭk) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.