noncancerous

Intermediate (B1)

IPA: /nɒnˈkænsərəs/

KK: /nɑnˈkænsərəs/

adjective

Definition

Referring to a condition or growth that is not cancerous and does not pose a threat to health.

Example

The doctor assured me that the tumor was noncancerous and not a cause for concern.

Conversation

Did you hear about Sam's recent health scare?

Yeah, I heard he found a lump, but they said it was noncancerous thankfully.

That's such a relief! I was really worried when I heard the news.

Me too! I'm glad he can focus on recovery now.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

benign

harmless

innocuous

Antonyms

malignant

cancerous

dangerous

Root Explanation

Noncancerous → It is formed from "non-" (meaning not) and "cancerous" (from Latin "cancer" meaning crab, used in a medical context to refer to cancer). The word "noncancerous" means not having cancer or not related to cancer.

Memory Tip

Think of 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'cancerous' referring to cancer — so noncancerous means not related to cancer.

Visually Confused Words