carcinoma

noun

car·​ci·​no·​ma ˌkär-sə-ˈnō-mə 

plural carcinomas also carcinomata ˌkär-sə-ˈnō-mə-tə 

: a malignant tumor of epithelial origin

carcinomatous

ˌkär-sə-ˈnō-mə-təs 

adjective

Examples of carcinoma in a Sentence

four deaths attributable to carcinoma

Recent Examples on the Web

Cameron Rider An eight-hour surgery and rough recovery Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a kind of cancer that usually affects the salivary glands. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 2 May 2026

Shannon fought her former son-in-law Michael Cardwell for custody of Kaitlyn after Anna died in December 2023 from stage 4 adrenal carcinoma. —Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

Amgen is conducting a Phase 1b trial of its treatment for small cell lung carcinoma. —Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026

Carlson, 68, died of renal cell carcinoma on April 21 at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, said Marcy Carlson, his wife of almost 44 years. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek karkinōma cancer, from karkinos

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing carcinoma

• squamous cell carcinoma

Rhymes for carcinoma

• ambystoma
• atheroma
• coloboma
• granuloma
• haematoma
• hamartoma
• hemangioma
• hematoma
• hepatoma
• hybridoma
• melanoma
• myeloma

Kids Definition

carcinoma

noun

car·​ci·​no·​ma ˌkärs-ᵊn-ˈō-mə 

plural carcinomas or carcinomata -mət-ə 

: 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 

plural carcinomas also carcinomata -mət-ə 

: a malignant tumor of epithelial origin compare sarcoma

carcinomatous

-ˈō-mət-əs 

adjective