carcinogen

noun

car·​cin·​o·​gen kär-ˈsi-nə-jən How to pronounce carcinogen (audio) ˈkär-sə-nə-ˌjen How to pronounce carcinogen (audio)
: a substance or agent causing cancer

Examples of carcinogen in a Sentence

Cigarette smoke contains known carcinogens.
Recent Examples on the Web Federal health agencies have long considered 1,3-D a likely carcinogen. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024 The conglomerate now faces a second wave of lawsuits alleging glyphosate and other elements of the herbicide are carcinogens. Jef Feely, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024 When smoked, tobacco releases more than 7,000 chemicals, including dozens that are known carcinogens. Larry Carroll, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024 On one hand, benzene is classified as a carcinogen. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 8 Mar. 2024 The carcinogen has been linked to multiple types of cancer. Daniel Wine, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Sure, those things have benefits, but the benefits of avoiding bacon (technically a Group 1 carcinogen) are small — and for bacon lovers, the burden is high. Ashish K. Jha, STAT, 6 Mar. 2024 Common sources of the carcinogen in indoor and outdoor air include building materials, furniture, garages (thanks to car exhaust), heating and cooking systems, and cigarette smoking. Jessica Chia, SELF, 12 Mar. 2024 Vinyl chloride, which is a chemical used to make PVC pipe, is considered a carcinogen. Max Filby, The Enquirer, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carcinogen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carcinogen was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near carcinogen

Cite this Entry

“Carcinogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carcinogen. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

carcinogen

noun
car·​cin·​o·​gen kär-ˈsin-ə-jən How to pronounce carcinogen (audio) ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen How to pronounce carcinogen (audio)
: a substance that causes cancer
carcinogenic adjective

Medical Definition

carcinogen

noun
car·​cin·​o·​gen kär-ˈsin-ə-jən How to pronounce carcinogen (audio) ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen How to pronounce carcinogen (audio)
: a substance or agent causing cancer

More from Merriam-Webster on carcinogen

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