German word

Krebs

Pronunciation

IPA/kʁeːps/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncancer

Example

Der Krebs wurde früh erkannt.

The cancer was detected at an early stage.

Illustration for Krebs (cancer)

More examples

Viele Patienten kämpfen jahrelang gegen Krebs.

Many patients fight cancer for years.

Core concept

A crab-like growth invading nearby tissue, with the same word also naming a crab and the zodiac sign.

Common phrases

  • an Krebs erkranken

    develop cancer

  • an Krebs sterben

    die of cancer

  • Früherkennung von Krebs

    early detection of cancer

Similar words

Krebserkrankung: The disease of cancer considered as a whole, regardless of its specific type.
Tumor: An abnormal lump or mass that forms inside the body.
Metastase: A new tumor formed when cancer cells spread to another organ or site.
Leukämie: A cancer of blood-forming cells that affects the blood or bone marrow.

Definition in German

Sammelbegriff für bösartige Neubildungen im Körper, die in umliegendes Gewebe eindringen können.

Word origin

Krebs continues Middle High German krebez and older Germanic words for "crab"; its medical sense reflects an ancient comparison between tumors and a crab.

Usage tips

  • Krebs is masculine in every sense, with the plural Krebse; the disease sense often appears without an article in phrases such as "Krebs haben".

Other meanings

  • crabnoun
  • zodiacal Cancernoun

Opposites

Related words

  • krebserregendcarcinogenicadjective
  • Krebsforschungcancer researchnoun
  • Krebszellecancer cellnoun

Word lists with this word