carcinoma

noun

car·​ci·​no·​ma ˌkär-sə-ˈnō-mə How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
plural carcinomas also carcinomata ˌkär-sə-ˈnō-mə-tə How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
Synonyms of carcinomanext
: a malignant tumor of epithelial origin
carcinomatous
ˌkär-sə-ˈnō-mə-təs How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
adjective

Examples of carcinoma in a Sentence

four deaths attributable to carcinoma
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sandy Springs resident Stacey Hughes, 53, has participated in the race nearly every year since being diagnosed with stage 0 ductal carcinoma in situ in 2017. — Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Roughly 10 to 15% of all lung cancer cases are classified as a small cell carcinoma. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 De Los Angeles, who provides software and data analytics to the hotel industry, received a diagnosis of stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma in February 2024. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 But fate and something called signet ring cell carcinoma had other plans. — Claudia Dreifus, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carcinoma

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek karkinōma cancer, from karkinos

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carcinoma was in 1601

Phrases Containing carcinoma

Rhymes for carcinoma

See All Rhymes for carcinoma

Browse Nearby Words

carcinology
carcinoma
carcinomatosis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carcinoma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carcinoma. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

carcinoma

noun
car·​ci·​no·​ma ˌkärs-ᵊn-ˈō-mə How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
plural carcinomas or carcinomata -mət-ə How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
: a tumor that consists of epithelial cells and is often fatal if not treated

Medical Definition

carcinoma

noun
car·​ci·​no·​ma ˌkärs-ᵊn-ˈō-mə How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
plural carcinomas also carcinomata -mət-ə How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
: a malignant tumor of epithelial origin compare sarcoma
carcinomatous
-ˈō-mət-əs How to pronounce carcinoma (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on carcinoma

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for carcinoma

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carcinoma

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