tumour
gb/tˈumɚ/ us/tˈumɚ/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
technical
C1
entity
1
abnormal growth of body tissue
A lump in the body caused by cells growing in an unusual way.
Usage pattern:
a tumour in/on [body part]
Common mistake:
In American English the usual spelling is tumor.
Synonyms
tumor (American spelling.)
|
neoplasm (More technical medical term.)
|
mass (General medical term; not necessarily a tumour.)
|
growth (Less technical; can sound less specific than tumour.)
Antonyms
healthy tissue (Normal tissue, not an abnormal growth.)
|
normal tissue (Emphasizes the absence of abnormal cell growth.)
Collocations
benign tumour
|malignant tumour
|brain tumour
|tumour growth
|tumour cells
|tumour removal
|remove a tumour
|diagnose a tumour
|tumour biopsy
|tumour tissue
Themes
health
|medicine
Examples
- Doctors found a small tumour in her lung during a routine scan.
- The surgeon removed the tumour successfully, and she recovered quickly.
- The scan showed that the tumour had not spread to other parts of the body.
Learner examples
- The doctor said I have a tumour.
- They removed the tumour last week.
Noun
literary
C2
abstract
2
harmful thing that spreads
A bad problem that keeps growing and causing more harm.
Usage pattern:
a tumour in [system/organisation/society]
Common mistake:
This figurative use is strong and negative; it may sound dramatic in everyday conversation.
Synonyms
cancer (More common metaphor; often stronger and more idiomatic.)
|
blight (Highlights damage and spreading harm, often in social contexts.)
|
scourge (Emphasizes widespread suffering rather than gradual growth.)
Antonyms
remedy (Something that fixes the problem.)
|
strength (A positive feature rather than a destructive influence.)
Collocations
a tumour of corruption
|a tumour in the system
|a tumour within the organisation
|a tumour at the heart of [something]
|like a tumour
|a growing tumour
Themes
society
|politics
|work
Examples
- Many employees said bullying had become a tumour within the company culture.
- She described misinformation as a tumour eating away at public trust.
- They warned that unchecked corruption would grow like a tumour in the system.
Learner examples
- Corruption became a tumour in the organisation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tumour
IPA
GB/tˈumɚ/
US/tˈumɚ/
Syllables & stress
tu - mour (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (tu)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tumour
- Plural: tumours
Expressions
benign tumour
1/bɪnˈaɪn tˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
non-cancerous tumour
A tumour that is not cancer.
Examples
- The tests confirmed it was a benign tumour, so she did not need chemotherapy.
- Even a benign tumour can cause symptoms if it presses on nerves.
- Doctors decided to monitor the benign tumour with regular scans.
brain tumour
1/bɹˈeɪn tˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
tumour in the brain
A tumour in the brain.
Examples
- Headaches and vision changes can be symptoms of a brain tumour.
- The scan ruled out a brain tumour.
- She underwent surgery to remove a brain tumour.
malignant tumour
1/məlˈɪɡnənt tˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
cancerous tumour
A tumour that is cancer and can spread.
Examples
- The biopsy showed that the tumour was malignant.
- Treatment depends on the size and stage of the malignant tumour.
- They started therapy immediately after finding a malignant tumour.
tumour marker
1/tˈumɚ mˈɑɹkɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
substance indicating tumour activity
A substance doctors can measure to help check some cancers.
Examples
- The doctor ordered a tumour marker test to help monitor her response to treatment.
- Certain tumour markers can rise for reasons other than cancer.
- They tracked the tumour marker level over several months.