Cancer
proper noun
- constellation in the Northern Hemisphere
noun
- group of diseases
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈkænsə/ / /ˈkæːnsə/ / /ˈkænsɚ/
adj
Etymology: Borrowed from Latin cancer (“crab”), a calque of Ancient Greek καρκίνος (karkínos, “crab; ulcer; cancer”) (possibly cognate), applied to cancerous tumors because the enlarged veins resembled the legs of a crab. Doublet of canker and chancre.
- Extremely unpleasant and annoying.
“I used to love this game, but the new meta is straight up cancer.”
name
Etymology: Learned borrowing from Latin cancer (“crab”), calque of Ancient Greek Καρκίνος (Karkínos, “crab”), calque of Akkadian 𒀀𒇻𒌅 (allutu, “crab”), from Sumerian 𒀯𒀠𒈜 (ᵐᵘˡAL.LUL, “crab; name of constellation”).
- A constellation of the zodiac traditionally figured in the shape of a crab.
“And add more coals to Cancer when he burns / With entertaining great Hyperion.”
“Cancer was occupied by a scarab in Egypt, so the general shape of animal may have been suggested by Praesepe.”
- The zodiac sign for the crab, ruled by the Moon and covering June 22–July 22 (tropical astrology) or July 16–August 15 (sidereal astrology).
noun
Etymology: Learned borrowing from Latin cancer (“crab”), calque of Ancient Greek Καρκίνος (Karkínos, “crab”), calque of Akkadian 𒀀𒇻𒌅 (allutu, “crab”), from Sumerian 𒀯𒀠𒈜 (ᵐᵘˡAL.LUL, “crab; name of constellation”).
- Someone with a Cancer star sign.
“‘All right, so what are Cancers apart from sad, then?’ Lizzie asked.”