tumor

noun

tu·​mor ˈtü-mər How to pronounce tumor (audio)
ˈtyü-
1
: an abnormal benign or malignant new growth of tissue that possesses no physiological function and arises from uncontrolled usually rapid cellular proliferation

called also neoplasm

2
: a swollen or distended part
… houses that bulged with the tumors and warts of … ornamental architecture …W. A. White
tumoral adjective
tumorlike adjective

Examples of tumor in a Sentence

the scan showed a small tumor in her abdomen
Recent Examples on the Web For its skin cream, Tawfik cited a small study by Drexel University researchers and a rapamycin-like gel approved by the FDA in 2022 to treat benign facial tumors. Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The tumor turned out to be benign, but the experience left me profoundly shaken. Sam Apple, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Oral contraceptives are another type of hormone therapy involving estrogen, meaning there’s a risk patients will develop blood clots or benign tumors. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 11 Mar. 2024 Sadly, Valla died five years ago from a brain tumor, but his influence continues to inspire Mittal. Vrinda Jagota, SPIN, 7 Mar. 2024 Analysis involves comparing the DNA of non-cancerous cells to those collected from tumors to determine which mutations might be recognized by the immune system. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 Rivas agreed to play on his practice kit when woken up in order to test his movement as Prabhu removed the tumor. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2024 The tumor remains a formidable foe, taking on multiple forms and even changing its genetic make-up over time. Ourbrainbank, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Cushing's syndrome occurs when the body produces too much cortisol due to steroid medications or tumors on the pituitary gland. Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 29 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tumour, from Latin tumor, from tumēre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tumor was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tumor

Cite this Entry

“Tumor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumor. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tumor

noun
tu·​mor ˈt(y)ü-mər How to pronounce tumor (audio)
: an abnormal mass of tissue that arises from normal tissue cells and serves no useful purpose in the body
tumorous
ˈt(y)üm-(ə-)rəs
adjective

Medical Definition

tumor

noun
tu·​mor
variants or chiefly British tumour
: an abnormal benign or malignant new growth of tissue that possesses no physiological function and arises from uncontrolled usually rapid cellular proliferation see cancer sense 1, carcinoma, sarcoma
tumorlike adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on tumor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!