Borrowed from Latin cancer (“crab”), a calque of Ancient Greek καρκίνος (karkínos, “crab; ulcer; cancer”), possibly cognate, applied to cancerous tumors because of a supposed resemblence between their enlarged veins and the legs of a crab. Doublet of canker and chancre.
Meanings
(offensive, slang, vulgar) Extremely unpleasant and annoying.
I used to love this game, but the new meta is straight up cancer.
Borrowed from Latin cancer (“crab”), a calque of Ancient Greek καρκίνος (karkínos, “crab; ulcer; cancer”), possibly cognate, applied to cancerous tumors because of a supposed resemblence between their enlarged veins and the legs of a crab. Doublet of canker and chancre.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A disease in which the cells of a tissue undergo uncontrolled (often rapid) proliferation.
Risk is everywhere. From tabloid headlines insisting that coffee causes cancer (yesterday, of course, it cured it) to stern government warnings about alcohol and driving, the world is teeming with goblins. For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you. 2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, archived from the original on 11 Jan 2025, page 76:
Sure, almost everything 'causes cancer' now. That said, I don't go hugging nuclear waste or acting like cancer itself is some conspiracy.
Almost half of the participants agreed that "It seems like everything causes cancer"... 2022 December 21, Laura Costas et al., “Everything Causes Cancer?...”, in British Medical Journal:
Cancers are common diseases; in the aggregate, they are among the leading causes of death nationally and worldwide, and their incidence is increasing as the population ages. 2015 February 26, Francis S. Collins, Harold Varmus, “A New Initiative on Precision Medicine”, in The New England Journal of Medicine, volume 372, number 9, →DOI, pages 793–794:
If successful, Edison and Ford—in 1914—would move society away from the[…]hazards of gasoline cars: air and water pollution, noise and noxiousness, constant coughing and the undeniable rise in cancers caused by smoke exhaust particulates. 2006, Edwin Black, chapter 1, in Internal Combustion:
She's ill. She's dying. She has cancer of the pancreas, stomach, just about everywhere... She's been dying for about six years now. We're getting used to it. 1999 February 3, Anthony Horowitz et al., “Strangler's Wood”, in Midsomer Murders:
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) Something damaging that spreads throughout something else.
I began by telling the President that there was a cancer growing on the Presidency, and if the cancer was not removed, the President himself would be killed by it. 1973 June 25, John Dean
The following day, Mr. [Stephen K.] Bannon called Mr. [Ben] Shapiro a “cancer” on the movement, and Ms. [Megyn] Kelly said she resented Mr. Shapiro’s attacks. 2025 December 20, Richard Fausset, Ken Bensinger, quoting Steve Bannon, “Turning Point’s Annual Gathering Turns Into a Gripefest”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Dec 2025:
The disease of the self runs through my blood; It's a cancer fatal to my soul. 1991, Charlie Peacock, “In the Light”:
He [Stephen Miller] called “leftwing political terrorism” a “fatal cancer of civilization”. He said that its politics, left to run its course, “always becomes a gulag”. 2026 July 22, Robert B. Shpiner, “Three speeches on a single day signaled a dying American democracy”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Sierra Leone's post-dictator problems are almost absurd in their breadth. It once exported rice; now it can't feed itself. The life span of the average citizen is 39, the shortest in Africa. Unemployment stands at 87 percent and tuberculosis is spreading out of control. Corruption, brazen and ubiquitous, is a cancer on the economy. 1999, Bruce Clifford Ross-Larson, Effective Writing, page 134:
ne क्यान्सर (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fr cancer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · bn কর্কটরোগ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fa چنگار (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · jv ꦥꦸꦫꦸꦲꦪꦭ꧀ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · kk обыр (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · de Krebs (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · nrf cancèr (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · hy քաղցկեղ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · or କର୍କଟ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · bg злока́чествен ту́мор (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · am ካንሰር (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · xal гүлгн (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · is krabbamein (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sv cancer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ast cáncer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sl rak (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · et vähktõbi (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · uz saraton (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · tet kankru (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · wuu 癌 (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · yi עמעסע מעשׂה (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · io kancero (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · scn tumuri (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fa کنسر (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · vi ung thư (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · kn ಕ್ಯಾನ್ಸರ್ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fa خرچنگ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · eo kancero (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · chr ᎠᏓᏰᏍᎩ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · nv łóód doo nádziihii (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · my ကင်ဆာရောဂါ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · bg рак (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · af kanker (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · az xərçəng (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · cs rakovina (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · lt vėžys (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · as কৰ্কট (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ms kanker (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · dv ކެންސަރު (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · tpi kensa (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sw kansa (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · zh 癌症 (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · bi kansa (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ik nauruaq pigiitchuaq (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · tk rak (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sgs viežīs (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · hu rák (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · be рак (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ti መንሽሮ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · apw ka iyáni (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · mk рак (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · es cáncer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · hi कर्कट (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · izh raakka (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · is krabbi (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · gd aillse (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · mr कर्करोग (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · mn хорт хавдар (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ml കാൻസർ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sh ра̏к (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ro cancer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · za bingh'aizcwng (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · uk злоя́кісна пухли́на (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · yi יענע מעשׂה (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ug راك (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · udm тэльсе (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ky рак (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · hi कर्कट रोग (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · se sonahat (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · yue 癌 (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · kl kræfti (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · smn puurâs (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · uk рак (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · mi mate pukupuku (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ja 癌 (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · myv цюци (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · si පිළිකා (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · gv kanghyr (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · grc καρκίνος (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · hi कैंसर (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ga ailse (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sgs viežīs (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ca càncer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sms poorrikõpp (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · nl kanker (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · pt câncer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · kk қатерлі ісік (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · oc càncer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · kn ಅರ್ಬುದ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · pt cancro (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · gun ai okaru va'e (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · gu કર્કરોગ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · pl nowotwór złośliwy (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · so kansar (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · vro vähktõbi (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · km កង់ស៊ែរ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · br krankr (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ml അർബുദം (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sq kancer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · tum kansa (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · mg asorotany (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · cy cancr (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · as কৰ্কট ৰোগ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · da kræft (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · yue 癌症 (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · lb Kriibs (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · gl cáncer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ar سَرَطَان (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · my ကင်ဆာ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · scn càncaru (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · nb kreft (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · lo ມະເຮັງ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ms barah (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ur کَینْسَر (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · tl kanser (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · pl rak (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · te కాన్సర్ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · la cancer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · eu minbizi (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · br krign-bev (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fur cancar (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · se boras (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · vec càncaro (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · uz rak (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · km មហារីក (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · tg саратон (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · tr kanser (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · es cangro (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · nn kreft (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · kmr şêrpence (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · scn cancru (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ia cancere (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · se borasdávda (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ru рак (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ru злока́чественная о́пухоль (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sv kräfta (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · id kanker (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ms kanser (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fa سرطان (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ta புற்றுநோய் (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sk rak (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ckb شێرپەنجە (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · mi pukupuku (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · an cáncer (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fi syöpä (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fo krabbamein (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · vo kanser (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · vro vähk (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ur سَرْطان (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sq uriq i zi (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · vec cancaro (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · bo སྐྲན་ནད (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · hy խլիրդ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · yi ראַק (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · th มะเร็ง (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sw saratani (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · es cancro (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sk rakovina (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · he סַרְטָן (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · pdt Kjräft (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · sh rȁk (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · fo krabbi (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · gl cancro (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · pa ਕੈਂਸਰ (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · kri kansa (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · lv vēzis (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ps سرطان (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · bn ক্যান্সার (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · be злая́касная пухлі́на (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ko 암 (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · el καρκίνος (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · ka კიბო (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · nv naałdzid (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · it cancro (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation) · mic go'gwejij (disease of uncontrolled cellular proliferation)