tumor
Other forms: tumors
A tumor is a growth — a mass of tissue — that has no function. Tumors can be harmless (benign) or harmful (malignant), but they are never any fun.
When a bunch of cells form a new growth in or on an animal, and those cells have no purpose, the result is a tumor. The word tumor comes directly from Latin word for “swelling.” Tumors can be big or small, harmless or harmful. Benign tumors are not a cause for concern, but a malignant tumor is serious and could be cancerous. A doctor must test a tumor to see which kind it is.
-
an abnormal new mass of tissue that serves no purpose
-
types:
- show 43 types...
- hide 43 types...
-
acanthoma, skin tumor
a neoplasm originating in the epidermis
-
angioma
a tumor consisting of a mass of blood or lymphatic vessels
-
benign tumor, benign tumour, nonmalignant neoplasm, nonmalignant tumor, nonmalignant tumour
a tumor that is not cancerous
-
blastocytoma, blastoma, embryonal carcinosarcoma
a tumor composed of immature undifferentiated cells
-
brain tumor, brain tumour
a tumor in the brain
-
carcinoid
a small tumor (benign or malignant) arising from the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract; usually associated with excessive secretion of serotonin
-
celioma
an abdominal tumor
-
granuloma
a tumor composed of granulation tissue resulting from injury or inflammation or infection
-
adipose tumor, lipoma
a tumor consisting of fatty tissue
-
malignant neoplasm, malignant tumor, metastatic tumor
a tumor that is malignant and tends to spread to other parts of the body
-
meningioma
a tumor arising in the meninges which surround the brain and spinal cord; usually slow growing and sometimes malignant
-
neurilemoma, neurofibroma
tumor of the fibrous covering of a peripheral nerve
-
neuroma
any tumor derived from cells of the nervous system
-
phaeochromocytoma, pheochromocytoma
a vascular tumor of the adrenal gland; hypersecretion of epinephrine results in intermittent or sustained hypertension
-
pinealoma
tumor of the pineal gland
-
plasmacytoma
neoplasm of plasma cells (usually in bone marrow)
-
psammoma, sand tumor
a tumor derived from fibrous tissue of the meninges or choroid plexus or certain other structures associated with the brain; characterized by sandlike particles
-
teratoma
a tumor consisting of a mixture of tissues not normally found at that site
-
adenoma
a benign epithelial tumor of glandular origin
-
chondroma
a common benign tumor of cartilage cells
-
glioblastoma, spongioblastoma
a fast-growing malignant brain tumor composed of spongioblasts; nearly always fatal
-
glioma
a tumor of the brain consisting of neuroglia
-
carcinosarcoma
a malignant neoplasm composed of carcinoma and sarcoma extensively intermixed
-
enchondroma
benign slow-growing tumor of cartilaginous cells at the ends of tubular bones (especially in the hands and feet)
-
fibroma
nonmalignant tumor of connective tissue
-
gumma
a small rubbery granuloma that is characteristic of an advanced stage of syphilis
-
keratoacanthoma
skin tumor that grows rapidly (especially in older people) and resembles a carcinoma but does not spread; it usually disappears spontaneously, often leaving a scar
-
cancer, malignant neoplastic disease
any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream
-
angiosarcoma
a rare malignant neoplasm arising from vascular tissue; usually occurs in the breast and skin and is believed to originate from the endothelial cells of blood vessels
-
haemangioma, hemangioma
benign angioma consisting of a mass of blood vessels; some appear as birthmarks
-
lymphangioma
benign angioma consisting of a mass of lymphatic vessels
-
spider angioma, spider nevus, vascular spider
a dilation of superficial capillaries with a central red dot from which blood vessels radiate
-
myeloma
a tumor of the bone marrow (usually malignant) composed of cells normally found in bone marrow
-
myoma
a benign tumor composed of muscle tissue
-
myxoma
a benign tumor of connective tissue containing jellylike material
-
neurinoma
tumor (usually benign) of the sheath surrounding a nerve
-
neuroblastoma
malignant tumor containing embryonic nerve cells; usually metastasizes quickly
-
neuroepithelioma
malignant tumor of the neuroepithelium
-
osteoblastoma
benign tumor of bone and fibrous tissue; occurs in the vertebrae or femur or tibia or arm bones (especially in young adults)
-
osteochondroma
benign tumor containing both bone and cartilage; usually occurs near the end of a long bone
-
osteoma
a slow growing benign tumor of consisting of bone tissue; usually on the skull or mandible
-
papillary tumor, papillary tumour, papilloma, villoma
a benign epithelial tumor forming a rounded mass
-
retinoblastoma
malignant ocular tumor of retinal cells; usually occurs before the third year of life; composed of primitive small round retinal cells
-
type of:
-
growth
(pathology) an abnormal proliferation of tissue (as in a tumor)
/ˈtumər/
/ˈtumə/
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing tumor
Learn these words related to branches of medicine and medical conditions. Here are links to our lists in the collection: Common Medical Terms, Tasks and Equipment, Hospital People and Places, Medical Branches and Conditions
Sixth-graders Topher Renn, Brand Walker, and Steve Sakata of Fox Ridge Elementary School learn that their favorite teacher must take a leave of absence because of her health, so they make arrangements to give her the perfect last day that she had described during a writing lesson.
This memoir recounts the incredible journey of Jordan Romero — the youngest person to climb the world's tallest mountains of every continent.
Look up tumor for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
