An abnormal lump or mass of tissue in the body that forms when cells grow more than they should.
From Latin *tumor* “a swelling,” from *tumere* “to swell.” It originally referred to any swollen area, but in medicine it now usually means an abnormal growth, which can be benign or cancerous.
Not all tumors are cancer—some are benign, meaning they don’t spread, though they may still cause problems by pressing on organs. The word focuses on the swelling itself, not automatically on danger, which is why doctors run tests before panicking.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.