LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

cancer1

cancer m (genitive cancrī)
Classical[ˈkaŋ.kɛr]Ecclesiastical[ˈkan̠ʲ.t͡ʃer]

Meaning

  1. masculinea crab
  2. masculinethe constellation Cancer
  3. masculinea tumor, cancer
  4. masculinea lattice, grid, or barrier

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecancercancrī
cancerēs
genitivecancrī
canceris		cancrōrum
dativecancrōcancrīs
accusativecancrumcancrōs
cancerēs
ablativecancrōcancrīs
vocativecancercancrī
cancerēs

cancer, cri (
I. gen. canceris, Lucr. 5, 616; Arn. 1, p. 30; acc. plur. canceres, Cato, R. R. 157, 3), m. (neutr. Claudius, Quadrig. ap. Prisc. p. 697 P.; Scrib. Comp. 206 and 240) [cf. καρκίνος; root kar-, to be hard; whence κάρυον, cornu], a crab, a river-crab, sea-crab.
I. Lit., Plin. 9, 31, 51, § 97 sq.; 19, 10, 58, § 180; Pall. 1, 35, 7; Ov. M. 15, 369; Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 45; Verg. G. 4, 48; Col. 9, 5, 6: cancer femina, Plin. 32, 10, 46, § 134; Pall. 1, 35, 7.—*
B. Meton., hands that cling fast like the claws of crabs: Orci cancri, App. M. 6, p. 176, 26.—
II. As nom. propr., the Crab, the sign of the zodiac in which the sun is found at the time of the summer solstice, Lucr. 5, 616; Ov. M. 2, 83; 10, 127; id. F. 6, 727; Cic. N. D. 2, 43, 110; Luc. 10, 259; cf. Hyg. Astr. 2, 23; Macr. S. 1, 17 fin.; acc. to the fable, as an animal hostile to Hercules in the contest with the Lernœan hydra; cf. Hyg. l. l. Hence, Lernaeus, Col. 10, 313.—
B. Poet. for the region of the south, the south, Ov. M. 4, 625.—
C. To designate great or violent heat, Ov. M. 10, 127.—
III. In medicine, a crawling, eating, suppurating ulcer, malignant tumor, a cancer, Cels. 5, 26, 31; 6, 18, 3: malum immedicabile cancer, Ov. M. 2, 825; Cato, R. R. 157, 3; Claud. Quadrig. ap. Prisc. p. 697 P
cancer, cri, m. root kar-, to bend, twist; whence corona, circus,
I. a lattice, the radical form of cancelli, q. v., Paul. ex Fest. p. 46; cf.: inter Orci cancros, App. M. 6, p. 176, 25.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *kankros, dissimilation of Proto-Italic *karkros (“enclosure”) (because the pincers of a crab form a circle), from Proto-Indo-European *kr-kr- (“circular”), reduplication of Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”) in the sense of "enclosure", and as such a doublet of carcer. Cognate with curvus. The medical sense, found in Celsus, seems likely to be a semantic loan from Ancient Greek καρκίνος (karkínos, “crab; ulcer; cancer”), which is possibly cognate.

Elsewhere
  • Englishcankerfrom Old English cancer
  • Frenchchancrefrom Old French chancre
  • Englishchancrefrom Old French chancre
  • Italiangranchio
  • Portuguesecarango
  • Spanishcangrejofrom Old Spanish cangro
  • Portuguesecaranguejofrom Old Spanish cangro
  • Catalancàncer
  • Englishcancer
  • Frenchcancer
Old Occitan
  • Catalancranc
  • Catalancarranc
  • Occitancranc

In English words that came into English from cancer

  • cancercancer
  • cancelcancellō
  • chancellorcancellārius
  • cankercancer
  • cancerouscancerōsus
  • chancellerycancellaria
  • chancrecancer
  • cancellouscancellus
  • cancriformcancer
  • cancrivorouscancer
  • cancrinecancer
  • cancelluscancellus
  • cancellatecancellatus
proper noun · masculinesecond declension
Cancer2
Cancer m sg (genitive Cancrī)
Classical[ˈkaŋ.kɛr]Ecclesiastical[ˈkan̠ʲ.t͡ʃer]

Meaning

  1. masculinesingularCancer, one of the constellations of the Zodiac

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeCancer—
genitiveCancrī—
dativeCancrō—
accusativeCancrum—
ablativeCancrō—
vocativeCancer—

Origins

From cancer (“crab”).

Quick answers

What does cancer mean in Latin?
cancer, a noun, means “a crab; a tumor, cancer; a lattice, grid, or barrier”.
What is the genitive of cancer?
The genitive singular is cancrī. cancer is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce cancer?
In classical Latin, [ˈkaŋ.kɛr]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkan̠ʲ.t͡ʃer].
Which English words come from cancer?
English words that go back to Latin cancer include cancer, canker, chancre, cancriform, cancrivorous and cancrine.