What does "precancerous" mean?

Of or pertaining to growth that is likely to develop into cancer.

What is a synonym for "precancerous"?

Common synonyms include: premalignant, premalignant.

How do you pronounce "precancerous"?

Pronounced //pɹiˈkænsəɹəs//.

Precancerous

//pɹiˈkænsəɹəs// adj

adj ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adjective

1
Of or pertaining to growth that is likely to develop into cancer. not-comparable

Adjective

1
of or relating to a growth that is not malignant but is likely to become so if not treated wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

premalignant premalignant

Example

More examples

"Pap screening is a technique in which cells from the lining of the cervix are removed with a spatula and examined under a microscope for abnormalities such as cancer or precancerous changes."

Etymology

From pre- + cancerous.

More for "precancerous"

Synonyms Sentences Pronunciation Translate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation Browse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.