canker

Meanings

Plural: cankers

Noun

a fungal disease of woody plants that causes localized damage to the bark
an ulceration (especially of the lips or lining of the mouth)
a pernicious and malign influence that is hard to get rid of
- "according to him, I was the canker in their midst"
A plant disease marked by gradual decay.
A region of dead plant tissue caused by such a disease.
A worm or grub that destroys plant buds or leaves; cankerworm.
A corroding or sloughing ulcer; especially a spreading gangrenous ulcer or collection of ulcers in or about the mouth.
Anything which corrodes, corrupts, or destroys.
A kind of wild rose; the dog rose.
An obstinate and often incurable disease of a horse's foot, characterized by separation of the horny portion and the development of fungoid growths. Usually resulting from neglected thrush.
An avian disease affecting doves, poultry, parrots and birds of prey, caused by Trichomonas gallinae.
A crab.

Verb

become infected with a canker
infect with a canker
To affect as a canker; to eat away; to corrode; to consume.
To infect or pollute; to corrupt.
To waste away, grow rusty, or be oxidized, as a mineral.
To be or become diseased, or as if diseased, with canker; to grow corrupt; to become venomous.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English canker, cancre, from Old English cancer (“cancer; crab”), akin to Dutch kanker, Old High German chanchar. Ultimately from Latin cancer (“a cancer”). Doublet of cancer, a later borrowing from Latin, and chancre, which came through French.

Synonyms

avian trichomoniasis, canker of the mouth, canker sore, encanker, frounce, noma, pestilence, roup, water canker

Scrabble Score: 12

canker is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
canker is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
canker is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

canker is a valid Words With Friends word