Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Cancer
Cancer Can"cer, n. [L. cancer, cancri, crab, ulcer, a sign of the zodiac; akin to Gr. karki`nos, Skr. karka[.t]a crab, and prob. Skr. karkara hard, the crab being named from its hard shell. Cf. {Canner}, {Chancre}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A genus of decapod Crustacea, including some of the most common shore crabs of Europe and North America, as the rock crab, Jonah crab, etc. See {Crab}. [1913 Webster]

2. (Astron.) (a) The fourth of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The first point is the northern limit of the sun's course in summer; hence, the sign of the summer solstice. See {Tropic}. (b) A northern constellation between Gemini and Leo. [1913 Webster]

3. (Med.) Formerly, any malignant growth, esp. one attended with great pain and ulceration, with cachexia and progressive emaciation. It was so called, perhaps, from the great veins which surround it, compared by the ancients to the claws of a crab. The term is now restricted to such a growth made up of aggregations of epithelial cells, either without support or embedded in the meshes of a trabecular framework. [1913 Webster]

Note: Four kinds of cancers are recognized: (1) {Epithelial cancer, or Epithelioma}, in which there is no trabecular framework. See {Epithelioma}. (2) {Scirrhous cancer, or Hard cancer}, in which the framework predominates, and the tumor is of hard consistence and slow growth. (3) {Encephaloid cancer}, {Medullary cancer}, or {Soft cancer}, in which the cellular element predominates, and the tumor is soft, grows rapidy, and often ulcerates. (4) {Colloid cancer}, in which the cancerous structure becomes gelatinous. The last three varieties are also called {carcinoma}. [1913 Webster]

{Cancer cells}, cells once believed to be peculiar to cancers, but now know to be epithelial cells differing in no respect from those found elsewhere in the body, and distinguished only by peculiarity of location and grouping.

{Cancer root} (Bot.), the name of several low plants, mostly parasitic on roots, as the beech drops, the squawroot, etc.

{Tropic of Cancer}. See {Tropic}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Tropic of Cancer — Tropic Trop ic, n. [F. tropique, L. tropicus of or belonging to a turn, i. e., of the sun, Gr. ? of the solstice, ? (sc. ?) the tropic or solstice, fr. ? to turn. See {Trope}.] 1. (Astron.) One of the two small circles of the celestial sphere,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tropic of Cancer — or Tropic of Capricorn see TROPIC (n. 1 & 2) * * * Parallel of latitude approximately 23°27′ north of the terrestrial Equator. It is the northern boundary of the tropics and marks the northernmost latitude at which the Sun can be seen directly… …   Universalium

  • Tropic of Cancer — or Tropic of Capricorn see TROPIC (n. 1 & 2) …   English World dictionary

  • Tropic of Cancer — For the novel by Henry Miller, see Tropic of Cancer (novel). For the BBC TV series, see Tropic of Cancer (BBC TV series). Coordinates: 23°26′16″N 0°0′0″W /  …   Wikipedia

  • Tropic of Cancer — [[t]trɒ̱pɪk əv kæ̱nsə(r)[/t]] N PROPER The Tropic of Cancer is an imaginary line around the Earth 23° 26 north of the equator …   English dictionary

  • Tropic of Cancer (novel) — infobox Book | name = Tropic of Cancer title orig = translator = image caption = author = Henry Miller illustrator = cover artist = country = United States language = English series = genre = Novel publisher = Obelisk Press release date = 1934… …   Wikipedia

  • tropic of Cancer. — See under tropic (def. 1a). [1545 55] * * * …   Universalium

  • Tropic of Cancer — noun The parallel of latitude 23°30′north of the equator, marking the northern boundary of the tropics; the sun is directly overhead at the summer solstice. See Also …   Wiktionary

  • tropic of Cancer — trop′ic of Can′cer n. geo See under tropic 1), a) • Etymology: 1545–55 …   From formal English to slang

  • Tropic of Cancer — noun a line of latitude about 23 degrees to the north of the equator • Instance Hypernyms: ↑tropic …   Useful english dictionary

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