Cancerously

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner that reflects the characteristics of a malignant growth, often suggesting severe and harmful biological implications
2. In a fashion indicative of a deleterious and invasive growth, frequently implying serious and detrimental health effects
3. Behaving in a way that resembles aggressive and harmful cell proliferation, often leading to significant biological consequences

Etymology: "Cancerously" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "cancerous" with the adverbial suffix "-ly" added to it. "Cancerous" itself comes from "cancer," the Latin word for crab, which was used for malignant growths because their swollen veins and spreading tendrils were thought to resemble a crab's claws and legs. The adjective describes things having the qualities of such a growth, and adding "-ly" turns it into a description of manner, so the adverb means acting or spreading in the way a cancer does. Its use is largely figurative, applied to things that grow unchecked and do quiet harm, such as corruption in an institution or a damaging habit in a community. Where it is meant literally, it describes how tissue behaves when it invades nearby parts of the body.

Synonyms: malignantly, harmfully, injuriously, dangerously, destructively

Antonyms: benignly, safely, harmlessly, innocently, nonthreateningly