Dictionary.com

melanoma

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

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.

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.
Question 1 of 13
How do you say “cat” 🐈 in Spanish?
gato/gata
cato/cata
gatto/gatta
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

Example sentences from the Web for melanoma

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
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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

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.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.