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What does carcino- mean?

Carcino- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “cancer.” It is used in medical terms, especially in pathology.Carcino- comes from the Greek �첹����í�ԴDz�, meaning “crab” and “ulcerous sore.” Crab? It’s supposed that ancient Greek doctors thought hard, cancerous tumors resembled hard-shelled crabs that gripped the body. Related to the Greek �첹����í�ԴDz� is cancer, directly from the Latin cancer, which literally means “crab.” Learn more at our entry for cancer.What are variants of carcino-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, carcino- becomes carcin-, as in carcinoid.