melanoma

[ mel-uh-noh-muh ]

/ ˌmɛl əˈnoʊ mə /

Pathology.

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noun, plural mel·a·no·mas, mel·a·no·ma·ta

[mel-uh-noh-muh-tuh]. /ˌmɛl əˈnoʊ mə tə/.

any of several types of skin tumors characterized by the malignant growth of melanocytes.

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Origin of melanoma

First recorded in 1825–35; melan- + -oma

Words nearby melanoma

melanogenesis, melanoglossia, melanoid, melanoleukoderma, melanoleukoderma colli, melanoma, melanomatosis, melanonychia, melanophage, melanophore, melanoplakia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use melanoma in a sentence

By using sunscreen you can decrease your chances of getting melanoma, so start protecting your skin and your family at a young age—and if you don’t usually wear sunscreen, now is a great time to start.
Keep Dark Skin Safe in the Sun|Steven Psyllos|June 25, 2021|Essence.com
Then he was diagnosed with a small melanoma on his foot which prevented him from joining the trial until he was in remission.
The First Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease Is Here|Alice Park|June 7, 2021|Time
The 46-year-old Annapolis, Maryland–based runner had recently finished treatment for melanoma, and an elite local running team had offered her a place on its roster.
We’re a Year into COVID. We Still Drink Too Much.|AC Shilton|February 18, 2021|Outside Online
BioNTech, for example, reported in 2017 that a vaccine against melanoma, tailor-made to each of its 13 participants’ unique cancer genetic profile, had higher immunity against their tumors and reduced the chance of spread.
Fighting Covid-19 Brought These Lasting Breakthroughs to Science and Medicine|Shelly Fan|December 29, 2020|Singularity Hub

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has seen a 200 percent increase in cases since 1973.
Is the Facekini the Future of Beachwear?|Justin Jones|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even though the drug is only approved for advanced melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer, it grossed $960 million last year.
How Big Pharma Holds Back in the War on Cancer|ProPublica|April 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An upward trend is especially apparent in kidney, liver, and thyroid cancer and in melanoma and lymphoma.
Are We Wasting Billions Seeking a Cure for Cancer?|Margaret I. Cuomo|October 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Beloved magazine designer Amid Capeci, who died of melanoma Tuesday, was only a boyish 50.
Amid Capeci, Decorated Magazine Designer, Dies at 50|Jeff Giles|March 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But long before Amid died this past Tuesday—of melanoma at an extremely boyish 50—everyone already knew.
Amid Capeci, Decorated Magazine Designer, Dies at 50|Jeff Giles|March 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for melanoma

melanoma

/ (ˌmɛləˈnəʊmə) /

noun plural -mas or -mata (-mətə)

pathol a malignant tumour composed of melanocytes, occurring esp in the skin, often as a result of excessive exposure to sunlight

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 melanoma

melanoma

[ mĕl′ə-nō′mə ]

n. pl. mel•a•no•mas

A dark-pigmented, malignant, frequently widely metastasizing tumor arising from a melanocyte and occurring most commonly in the skin.malignant melanoma melanoblastoma melanocarcinoma melanotic carcinoma

Scientific definitions for melanoma

melanoma

[ mĕl′ə-nō′mə ]

Plural melanomas melanomata (mĕl′ə-nō′mə-tə)

A dark-pigmented benign or malignant tumor that arises from a melanocyte and occurs most commonly in the skin. Malignant melanoma metastasizes quickly and is associated with sun exposure.

Cultural definitions for melanoma

melanoma

[ (mel-uh-noh-muh) ]

A serious, often lethal, form of skin cancer.

notes for melanoma

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun (for example, by too much sunbathing) can cause this disease.