tumor

[ too-mer, tyoo- ]
See synonyms for tumor on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a swollen part; swelling; protuberance.

  2. an uncontrolled, abnormal, circumscribed growth of cells in any animal or plant tissue; neoplasm.

  1. Archaic.

    • inflated pride; haughtiness.

    • pompous language; bombast.

Origin of tumor

1
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin: “a swelling, swollen state,” equivalent to tum(ēre) “to swell” + -or noun suffix (see -or1)
  • Also especially British, tu·mour .

Other words from tumor

  • tu·mor·like, adjective
  • tu·mor·ous, tu·mor·al, adjective
  • an·ti·tu·mor, adjective, noun
  • an·ti·tu·mor·al, adjective
  • non·tu·mor·ous, adjective

Words Nearby tumor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tumor in a sentence

Scientific definitions for tumor

tumor

[ tōōmər ]


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

Cultural definitions for tumor

tumor

An abnormal mass of new tissue growth that serves no function in the body. Tumors are usually classified as benign or malignant and are often caused by cancer.

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.