Malignant
1 Definition of Malignant
Meaning of Malignant: Cancerous, with the potential to invade nearby tissue and spread to other sites.
Malignant describes abnormal cells or tumors capable of invasive growth and, in many cases, spread to distant parts of the body. The behavior, treatment, and outlook vary widely among cancer types and stages.
Also known as
cancerous
Used in a sentence
The biopsy was examined for features of a malignant tumor.
Good to know
A pathologist uses cellular and tissue features, often with additional tests, to establish a malignant diagnosis.
Word origin
Where “Malignant” comes from
From Latin malignus, meaning “harmful” or “ill-disposed.”