astrocytoma
|as-tro-cy-to-ma|
🇺🇸
/ˌæs.trə.saɪˈtoʊ.mə/
🇬🇧
/ˌæs.trə.saɪˈtəʊ.mə/
tumor of star-shaped brain cells
Etymology
'astrocytoma' originates from Greek combining forms: 'astron' meaning 'star', 'kytos' meaning 'cell', and the suffix '-oma' meaning 'tumor' (via New Latin/medical New Latin).
'astrocytoma' was formed in New Latin/medical terminology by combining Greek elements ('astron' + 'kytos' + '-oma') and entered modern medical English usage in the late 19th to early 20th century to name tumors of star-shaped glial cells.
Initially it meant 'a tumor composed of star-shaped cells'; the core meaning has remained, though modern usage also includes classification by histologic grade and molecular features.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of glioma (tumor) that arises from astrocytes, the star-shaped glial cells of the brain or spinal cord; may vary in behavior from low-grade (relatively slow-growing) to high-grade (malignant).
An MRI revealed a small astrocytoma in the patient's temporal lobe.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/07 20:55