metastasis
[ muh-tas-tuh-sis ]
/ məˈtæs tə sɪs /
noun, plural me·tas·ta·ses [muh-tas-tuh-seez] /məˈtæs təˌsiz/.
Pathology.
- the transference of disease-producing organisms or of malignant or cancerous cells to other parts of the body by way of the blood or lymphatic vessels or membranous surfaces.
- the condition produced by this.
Rhetoric.
a rapid transition, as from one subject to another.
Physics.
a change in position or orbit of an elementary particle.
Origin of metastasis
OTHER WORDS FROM metastasis
met·a·stat·ic [met-uh-stat-ik] /ˌmɛt əˈstæt ɪk/, adjective met·a·stat·i·cal·ly, adverbWords nearby metastasis
Example sentences from the Web for metastasis
British Dictionary definitions for metastasis
metastasis
/ (mɪˈtæstəsɪs) /
noun plural -ses (-ˌsiːz)
pathol
the spreading of a disease, esp cancer cells, from one part of the body to another
a transformation or change, as in rhetoric, from one point to another
a rare word for metabolism
Derived forms of metastasis
metastatic (ˌmɛtəˈstætɪk), adjective metastatically, adverbWord Origin for metastasis
C16: via Latin from Greek: transition
Medical definitions for metastasis
metastasis
[ mə-tăs′tə-sĭs ]
n. pl. me•tas•ta•ses (-sēz′)
Transmission of pathogenic microorganisms or cancerous cells from an original site to one or more sites elsewhere in the body, usually by way of the blood vessels or lymphatics.
A secondary cancerous growth formed by transmission of cancerous cells from a primary growth located elsewhere in the body.
Other words from metastasis
met′a•stat′ic (mĕt′ə-stăt′ĭk) adj.Scientific definitions for metastasis
metastasis
[ mə-tăs′tə-sĭs ]
A cancerous tumor formed by transmission of malignant cells from a primary cancer located elsewhere in the body.