cancerous
UK: ˈkænsərəs | US: ˈkænsərəs
adj. relating to or affected by cancer
adj. harmful or destructive, like cancer
The word "cancerous" derives from the Latin "cancer" (meaning "crab" or "malignant tumor"), which was used metaphorically by ancient physicians to describe tumors due to their crab-like spread. The suffix "-ous" (from Latin "-osus") turns nouns into adjectives, indicating "full of" or "having the nature of." Thus, "cancerous" literally means "having the nature of cancer."
The biopsy confirmed that the tumor was cancerous.
Smoking is a leading cause of cancerous growths in the lungs.
The doctor removed the cancerous tissue during surgery.
Early detection can prevent cancerous cells from spreading.
The patient underwent chemotherapy to treat the cancerous condition.