canker /ˈkæŋkə(r)/, sb.
Forms: 1 cancer, -or, 3 cauncre, 3-4 cancre, 4 kankir, 4, 6 cankre, 5 cankyr, kankere, 6 cancar, cankar, kanker, 6-7 cancker, 4- canker.
Etymology: a. ONFr. cancre, in Central OFr. and mod.Fr. chancre (whence also in Eng. shanker, chancre, q.v.):-L. cancr-um (nom. cancer) crab, also gangrene. The word had been used in OE. directly from L.
1. An eating, spreading sore or ulcer; a gangrene. † a. Formerly, often the same as cancer. b. Now spec. A gangrenous affection of the mouth, characterized by small fetid sloughing ulcers; gangrenous stomatitis, stomacace. Also call…