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Definition of malignancy

malignancy

/məˈlɪɡ.nən.si/
ma · lig · nan · cy
Adverb:malignantly
•
Plural:malignancies
•
Adjective:malignant
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malignancy Lexical Profile

malignancy Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The state or presence of a cancerous growth, or a cancerous tumor itself that tends to invade surrounding tissue and metastasize.

Example

"Early screening allowed the oncologist to detect the malignancy before it could spread to other organs."

2

The quality or state of being intensely malevolent, spiteful, or disposed to cause harm and suffering.

Example

"The sheer malignancy of the rumor campaign damaged the reputation of several innocent colleagues."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for malignancy
Antonyms
View all antonyms for malignancy

• Rhymes for malignancy

• Nearby Words

maliciously
maliciousness
malign
malignancy
malignant
malignantly
malimbe

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the Late Latin verb 'malignare' (to act maliciously or contrive wickedly), which itself combines 'malus' (bad) and the root 'gignere' (to beget or produce), literally meaning 'ill-disposed by nature.'

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Malignancy. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/malignancy
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