CANCER

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Latin (genitive Cancri), literally, crab; akin to Greek karkinos crab, ~ Date: 14th century 1. capitalized a northern zodiacal constellation between Gemini and Leo, b. the fourth sign of the zodiac in astrology, one born under the sign of Cancer, 2. \Latin, crab, ~] a malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systemically by metastasis, an abnormal bodily state marked by such tumors, something evil or malignant that spreads destructively , 4. an enlarged tumorlike plant growth (as that of crown gall), a plant disease marked by such growths, ~ous adjective ~ously adverb