�������t¶��

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.

One example of a word that you may have encountered that features the combining form carcino- is carcinogen, “any substance or agent that tends to produce a cancer.”

We know carcino- means “cancer,” so the -gen portion of the word? That’s right, -gen refers to “that which produces.” Carcinogen literally translates to “something which produces cancer.”

What are some words that use the combining form carcino- or carcin-?

• carcinoma (using the equivalent form of carcino- in Greek)
• carcinosis
• carcinogenic
• carcinolytic
• carcinomatosis (using the equivalent form of carcino- in Latin)
• carcinophobia

What are some other forms that carcino- may be commonly confused with?

• caco-
• carbo-
• cardio-

The -carc- in incarcerate is not related to the combining form carcino-. Find out the history of the word incarcerate at our entry for the word.

The combining form -phobia means “fear.” What is carcinophobia, also known as cancerophobia?