Definition

The quality or condition of causing cancer.

Example

The carcinogenicity of certain chemicals is a major concern for public health.

Conversation

Have you heard about the new study on carcinogenicity in certain foods?

No, I haven't. What did they find out?

They discovered that some additives might increase the carcinogenicity risk.

That's concerning! We should really pay attention to what we eat.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Carcinogenicity → It is formed from "carcin-" (from Greek "karkinos", meaning crab or cancer) and "-genic" (from Greek "genes", meaning born of or produced by) and "-ity" (meaning the state or condition of). The word refers to the state of being capable of producing cancer.

Memory Tip

Think of 'carcin-' relating to 'cancer' and '-genic' meaning 'produced by' — so carcinogenicity is the condition of being able to produce cancer.

Visually Confused Words