teratoma

noun

ter·​a·​to·​ma ˌter-ə-ˈtō-mə How to pronounce teratoma (audio)
plural teratomas also teratomata ˌter-ə-ˈtō-mə-tə How to pronounce teratoma (audio)
: a tumor made up of a heterogeneous mixture of tissues

Examples of teratoma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the results include some frightening growths, called teratomas, that are rare among human fetuses: about 1 in 30,000 babies is born with a teratoma. — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 26 Jan. 2022 Dermoid Also referred to as a teratoma, this type of cyst can contain a collection of body tissue that may also be found in skin, hair, and even teeth. — Grace Gavilanes, Glamour, 2 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Teratom, from Greek terat-, téras "sign sent by the gods, portent, marvel, monster" + German -om -oma — more at terato-

Note: Term probably introduced by the German pathologist Rudolf virchow, no later than 1866, when it appears in the article "Ein tiefes auriculares Dermoid des Halses," Archiv für pathologische Anatomie und Physiologie und für klinische Medicin (Virchows Archiv), Band 53, p. 210.

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teratoma was in 1879

Rhymes for teratoma

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Browse Nearby Words

teratology
teratoma
terawatt
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Cite this Entry

“Teratoma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teratoma. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

teratoma

noun
ter·​a·​to·​ma ˌter-ə-ˈtō-mə How to pronounce teratoma (audio)
plural teratomas also teratomata -mət-ə How to pronounce teratoma (audio)
: a tumor derived from more than one embryonic layer and made up of a heterogeneous mixture of tissues (as epithelium, bone, cartilage, or muscle)
teratomatous
-mət-əs How to pronounce teratoma (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on teratoma

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about teratoma

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