Cancerousness

/ˈkænsərəsnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being cancerous, destructive, or spreading like cancer.

Etymology

From 'cancerous' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness'. This allows the adjective to function as an abstract noun describing the condition itself.

Kelly Says

The '-ness' suffix transforms a scary disease into a philosophical concept—'cancerousness' lets us talk about the essence of something that corrupts from within, making it useful for critiquing social problems.

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