Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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adj
Extremely unpleasant and annoying.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: offensive, slang, vulgar
Synonyms: cancerous, AIDS
Antonyms: none provided
name
A constellation of the zodiac traditionally figured in the shape of a crab.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Crab
Antonyms: none provided
name
The zodiac sign for the crab, ruled by the Moon and covering June 22–July 22 (tropical astrology) or July 16–August 15 (sidereal astrology).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: astrology, human-sciences, mysticism, philosophy, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A disease in which the cells of a tissue undergo uncontrolled (often rapid) proliferation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: medicine, oncology, pathology, sciences
Synonyms: malignancy
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Something damaging that spreads throughout something else.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, figuratively, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Someone with a Cancer star sign.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
type genus of the family Cancridae
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: genus Cancer
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: arthropod genus
noun
the fourth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about June 21 to July 22
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Cancer the Crab, Crab
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sign of the zodiac, star sign, sign, mansion, house, planetary house
noun
a small zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere; between Leo and Gemini
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: constellation
noun
(astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Crab
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul
noun
any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: malignant neoplastic disease
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: malignant tumor, malignant neoplasm, metastatic tumor
Narrower terms: lymphoma, carcinoma, leukemia, leukaemia, leucaemia, cancer of the blood, sarcoma
History
Borrowed from Latin cancer (“crab”), a calque of Ancient Greek καρκίνος (karkínos, “crab; ulcer; cancer”), possibly cognate, applied to cancerous tumors because of a supposed resemblence between their enlarged veins and the legs of a crab. Doublet of canker and chancre.
Learned borrowing from Latin cancer (“crab”), calque of Ancient Greek Καρκίνος (Karkínos, “crab”), calque of Akkadian 𒀀𒇻𒌅 (allutu, “crab”), from Sumerian 𒀯𒀠𒈜 (mulAL.LUL, “crab; name of constellation”).
Across languages
346 source translations are retained for this English entry.
