malignancy

noun

ma·​lig·​nan·​cy mə-ˈlig-nən(t)-sē How to pronounce malignancy (audio)
plural malignancies
1
: the quality or state of being malignant
2
a
: exhibition (as by a tumor) of malignant qualities : virulence
b
: a malignant tumor

Examples of malignancy in a Sentence

the malignancy of the tumor The test revealed a malignancy in the patient's chest.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It is typically associated with gastrointestinal malignancies, as well as: Bladder cancer Colon cancer Gastric adenocarcinoma6 Kidney cancer4 Liver cancer Lymphoma Stomach cancer3 Acanthosis Nigricans in Different Skin Tones AN can present differently depending on skin tone. Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 23 Jan. 2025 This alone is not necessarily sufficient to create colorectal cancer, but on rare occasions, cells can acquire additional cancer-causing mutations, overflow crypt boundaries and cause malignancies. Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025 Lynch spent his years making films that seeded purity with malignancy, machismo with vulnerability, teenage love with mythic importance. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 17 Jan. 2025 The bad feelings of betrayal die hard and that malignancy that surrounds Irving will take on a greater dimension under the hot lights of the NBA Finals. Rich Thompson, Boston Herald, 5 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for malignancy 

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of malignancy was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near malignancy

Cite this Entry

“Malignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malignancy. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

malignancy

noun
ma·​lig·​nan·​cy mə-ˈlig-nən-sē How to pronounce malignancy (audio)
plural malignancies
1
: the quality or state of being malignant
2
: a malignant tumor

Medical Definition

malignancy

noun
ma·​lig·​nan·​cy mə-ˈlig-nən-sē How to pronounce malignancy (audio)
plural malignancies
1
: the quality or state of being malignant
2
a
: exhibition (as by a tumor) of malignant qualities : virulence
b
: a malignant tumor

More from Merriam-Webster on malignancy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!