French word

cancer

Pronunciation

IPA/kɑ̃sɛʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncancer

Example

Mon grand-père a eu un cancer.

My grandfather had cancer.

Illustration for cancer (cancer)

More examples

Le médecin a diagnostiqué un cancer.

The doctor diagnosed cancer.

Core concept

A cell mass grows without control, forming a crab-like spread into nearby tissue and sometimes distant sites; Cancer is also the zodiac sign named for a crab.

Common phrases

  • diagnostiquer un cancer

    diagnose cancer

  • traiter un cancer

    treat cancer

  • avoir un cancer

    have cancer

Similar words

tumeur: An unusual mass or swelling that develops within the body.
maladie: A condition or problem that affects someone's health.

Definition in French

Maladie caractérisée par une multiplication incontrôlée de cellules formant une tumeur qui peut envahir les tissus voisins et donner des métastases.

Word origin

French cancer comes through Latin cancer, meaning 'crab', from Greek karkinos, because ancient physicians compared some tumors' spreading extensions with crab legs.

Usage tips

  • Cancer is masculine in French, so the disease is un cancer and the usual diagnosis phrase is avoir un cancer.

Related words

  • cancérologieoncologynoun
  • cancéreuxcancerousadjective
  • cancérogènecarcinogenicadjective

Word lists with this word