carcinogen

noun

car·​cin·​o·​gen kär-ˈsi-nə-jən How to pronounce carcinogen (audio) ˈkär-sə-nə-ˌjen How to pronounce carcinogen (audio)
: a substance or agent causing cancer

Examples of carcinogen in a Sentence

Cigarette smoke contains known carcinogens.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Other sources say red No. 40 and yellow No. 5 and No. 6 contain or may be contaminated with known carcinogens. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2025 And with its report, the group aimed to increase awareness among the public that alcohol is a carcinogen and advocate for specific policy strategies to try to reduce excessive alcohol use. Dylan Scott, Vox, 14 Mar. 2025 The notice came three days after the Palisades fire started, out of an abundance of caution that benzene — a carcinogen present in gasoline, paint and consequently wildfire smoke — could be detected within the water distribution system. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025 Monsanto and its parent company, the German conglomerate Bayer, maintain that glyphosate is not a carcinogen. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for carcinogen

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carcinogen was in 1853

Cite this Entry

“Carcinogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carcinogen. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

carcinogen

noun
car·​cin·​o·​gen kär-ˈsin-ə-jən How to pronounce carcinogen (audio) ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen How to pronounce carcinogen (audio)
: a substance that causes cancer
carcinogenic adjective

Medical Definition

carcinogen

noun
car·​cin·​o·​gen kär-ˈsin-ə-jən How to pronounce carcinogen (audio) ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen How to pronounce carcinogen (audio)
: a substance or agent causing cancer

More from Merriam-Webster on carcinogen

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