Carcinoma
/ˌkɑːrsɪˈnoʊmə/noun
A malignant tumor that begins in epithelial tissue.
Did you know?Carcinoma comes from the same Greek root as “cancer,” because Hippocrates and later physicians compared tumors with radiating veins to a crab’s legs — a medical image that became a permanent name.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
karkínōma (καρκίνωμα)
“A crab-like swelling or tumor”
Late Greek
Greek
karkínōma
“A malignant tumor, especially one with radiating veins”
Latin
Latin
carcinoma
“A cancerous growth or ulcer”
14th–17th Century
English
carcinoma
“A medical term for a cancerous tumor”
Modern English
English
carcinoma
“A malignant tumor arising from epithelial cells”
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