carcinogenic

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/ˌkɑː(ɹ)sɪnəˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/

adjective

Causing or tending to cause cancer.

Less commonScrabble 19Word of the Day · Feb 3, 2024

Meanings

adjectivecarcinogenic (comparative more carcinogenic, superlative most carcinogenic)

comparative more carcinogenic · superlative most carcinogenic

  1. Causing or tending to cause cancer.

    The disadvantage of the underfired grill is the potential for flareups, which can cause a burned spot or carbonization. Not only do these taste bad, but they are also carcinogenic.

    2009, Peter Osbaldeston, The Palm Springs Diner's Bible: A Restaurant Guide for Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, la Quinta, Bermuda Dunes, Indio, and Desert Hot Springs, Gretna, La.: Pelican Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 250
    1 more example

    Although BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are avoided by some consumers because several studies have suggested they may be toxic or carcinogenic (they are banned in Britain), these antioxidants have also been shown to inhibit the action of cancer-causing chemicals, and BHT has been shown to suppress the growth of harmful viruses.

    1985 May 1, Jane E. Brody, “PERSONAL HEALTH; HOW INNOVATIONS AFFECT SAFETY AND NUTRITION”, in The New York Times

    Synonyms: cancerogenic

nouncarcinogenic (plural carcinogenics)

plural carcinogenics

  1. Synonym of carcinogen.

    Synonyms: carcinogen

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveCausing or tending to cause cancer.

nounSynonym of carcinogen.

Similar
Also see

Origin

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

From carcino- + -genic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مُسَرْطِن
  • مُسَرْطِن (musarṭin)causing or tending to cause cancer
Catalan cancerigen, carcinogen
  • cancerigencausing or tending to cause cancer
  • carcinogencausing or tending to cause cancer
Chinese Mandarin 致癌的
  • 致癌的 (zhì'ái de)causing or tending to cause cancer
Czech karcinogenní
  • karcinogennícausing or tending to cause cancer
Danish kræftfremkaldende, karcinogen
  • kræftfremkaldendecausing or tending to cause cancer
  • karcinogencausing or tending to cause cancer
Dutch kankerverwekkend
  • kankerverwekkendcausing or tending to cause cancer
Esperanto kanceriga
  • kancerigacausing or tending to cause cancer
Finnish syöpää aiheuttava, karsinogeeninen
  • syöpää aiheuttavacausing or tending to cause cancer
  • karsinogeeninencausing or tending to cause cancer
French cancérigène, carcinogène
  • cancérigènecausing or tending to cause cancer
  • carcinogènecausing or tending to cause cancer
German krebserregend, karzinogen
  • krebserregendcausing or tending to cause cancer
  • karzinogencausing or tending to cause cancer
Greek καρκινογόνος
  • καρκινογόνος (karkinogónos)causing or tending to cause cancer
Hungarian karcinogén, rákokozó
  • karcinogéncausing or tending to cause cancer
  • rákokozócausing or tending to cause cancer
  • rákkeltőcausing or tending to cause cancer
Indonesian karsinogenik
  • karsinogenikcausing or tending to cause cancer
Irish carcanaigineach
  • carcanaigineachcausing or tending to cause cancer
Italian cancerogeno
  • cancerogenocausing or tending to cause cancer
Japanese 発癌性
  • 発癌性 (hatsugansei)causing or tending to cause cancer
Malay karsinogenik
  • karsinogenikcausing or tending to cause cancer
Norwegian Bokmål kreftfremkallende, karsinogen
  • kreftfremkallendecausing or tending to cause cancer
  • karsinogencausing or tending to cause cancer
Polish rakotwórczy, kancerogenny
  • rakotwórczycausing or tending to cause cancer
  • kancerogennycausing or tending to cause cancer
Portuguese cancerígeno, carcinogênico
  • cancerígenocausing or tending to cause cancer
  • carcinogênicocausing or tending to cause cancer
  • carcinogénicocausing or tending to cause cancer
Romanian cancerigen, carcinogen
  • cancerigencausing or tending to cause cancer
  • carcinogencausing or tending to cause cancer
Russian канцерогенный
  • канцерогенный (kancerogennyj)causing or tending to cause cancer
Slovak karciogénny
  • karciogénnycausing or tending to cause cancer
Spanish cancerígeno
  • cancerígenocausing or tending to cause cancer
Swedish carcinogen, karcinogen
  • carcinogencausing or tending to cause cancer
  • karcinogencausing or tending to cause cancer
  • cancerframkallandecausing or tending to cause cancer
  • cancerogencausing or tending to cause cancer
Turkish kanserojen
  • kanserojencausing or tending to cause cancer
Ukrainian канцероге́нний
  • канцероге́нний (kancerohénnyj)causing or tending to cause cancer

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with carcinogenic

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

carcinogenic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carcinogenic

MLA

“carcinogenic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carcinogenic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “carcinogenic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carcinogenic.

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