Definition

Causing or likely to cause cancer.

Example

Some chemicals are known to be carcinogenic and should be handled with care.

Conversation

Did you hear that some processed meats are considered carcinogenic?

Yeah, it's pretty alarming how many things can cause cancer.

I know, right? It's hard to keep track of what’s safe to eat.

Totally! We should probably focus on more whole foods.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Carcinogenic → It is formed from "carcin" (from Greek "karkinos", meaning crab or cancer) and "-genic" (from Greek "genes", meaning producing or generating). The word "carcinogenic" refers to substances that produce or generate cancer.

Memory Tip

Think of 'cancer' ('carcin') being something that is 'produced' ('genic') — that's why carcinogenic means something that can cause cancer.

Visually Confused Words