cankerous en · ADJ
Etymology
Etymology tree English canker Latin -ōsus Old French -usbor. Middle English -ous English -ous English cankerous From canker + -ous.
Meanings
- Infected with canker; ulcerous.
-
Causing canker; ulcerating.
Hither may come the prisoner, escaping from his dark and narrow cell and cankerous chain, to breathe free air in this enchanted atmosphere.
1846, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Hall of Fantasy”, in Mosses from an Old Manse:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most cankerous | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more cankerous | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |