CANKER

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French cancre, chancre, from Latin cancer crab, cancer Date: before 12th century 1. a. an erosive or spreading sore, an area of necrosis in a plant, any of various disorders of animals marked by chronic inflammatory changes, a caterpillar destructive to plants, rust 1, a source of corruption or debasement, dog rose , ~ous adjective II. verb (~ed; ~ing) Date: 14th century transitive verb to infect with a spreading sore, to corrupt the spirit of, intransitive verb to become infested with ~, to become corrupted