carcinogen

C3A1R1C3I1N1O1G2E1N1
/kɑɹˈsɪnəd͡ʒən/

noun

A substance or agent that can cause cancer.

Less commonScrabble 15

Meanings

nouncarcinogen (plural carcinogens)

plural carcinogens

  1. A substance or agent that can cause cancer.

    We know there are substances in our environment that are proven carcinogens—ionizing radiation, electromagnetic fields, organochlorines, pesticides and herbicides.

    1995 October 26, Barbra Wiener, Executive Director Women's Cancer Resource Center Minneapolis, “Letter: Focus Cancer Research on Prevention”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2013
    2 more examples

    This isn’t the first benzene-related recall of 2021. In July, Johnson & Johnson recalled some spray-on Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens after it detected low levels of the carcinogen in the products.

    2021 November 26, Jackie Wattles, “Some Old Spice and Secret deodorants recalled after cancer-causing chemical is detected”, in CNN Business

    “There is strong evidence that 76 known or potential breast carcinogens from food contact materials recently purchased all over the world can be found in people,” said study coauthor Jane Muncke, managing director and chief scientific officer at the Food Packaging Forum, a nonprofit foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, that focuses on science communication and research.

    2024 September 24, Sandee LaMotte, “Chemicals linked to breast cancer leach into our foods, study finds”, in CNN

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

  1. Englishcarcino-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  4. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  5. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  6. Englishcarcinogen

From carcino- + -gen.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan carcinogen, cancerigen
  • carcinogensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • cancerigensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Chinese Cantonese 致癌物質 /致癌物质
  • 致癌物質 /致癌物质 (zi³ ngaam⁴ mat⁶ zat¹)substance or agent that can cause cancer
Chinese Mandarin 致癌物質 /致癌物质
  • 致癌物質 /致癌物质 (zhì'ái wùzhì)substance or agent that can cause cancer
Czech karcinogen
  • karcinogensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Danish carcinogen
  • carcinogensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Dutch carcinogeen, kankerverwekkende stof
  • carcinogeensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • kankerverwekkende stofsubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Estonian kantserogeen, kartsinogeen
  • kantserogeensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • kartsinogeensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Finnish karsinogeeni, syöpää aiheuttava aine
  • karsinogeenisubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • syöpää aiheuttava ainesubstance or agent that can cause cancer
French cancérogène, carcinogène
  • cancérogènesubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • carcinogènesubstance or agent that can cause cancer
German Karzinogen
  • Karzinogensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Icelandic krabbameinsvaldur
  • krabbameinsvaldursubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Indonesian karsinogen
  • karsinogensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Irish carcanaigin
  • carcanaiginsubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Italian agente cancerogeno, prodotto cancerogeno
  • agente cancerogenosubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • prodotto cancerogenosubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Japanese 発癌物質
  • 発癌物質 (hatsugan busshitsu)substance or agent that can cause cancer
Korean 발암물질
  • 발암물질 (barammuljil)substance or agent that can cause cancer
Malay karsinogen
  • karsinogensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Polish czynnik rakotwórczy
  • czynnik rakotwórczysubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Portuguese carcinógeno
  • carcinógenosubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Russian канцероге́н
  • канцероге́н (kancerogén)substance or agent that can cause cancer
Spanish carcinógeno, cancerígeno
  • carcinógenosubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • cancerígenosubstance or agent that can cause cancer
  • carcinogénicosubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Welsh carsinogen
  • carsinogensubstance or agent that can cause cancer
Cite this entry
APA

carcinogen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carcinogen

MLA

“carcinogen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carcinogen. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “carcinogen,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carcinogen.

Source: carcinogen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.