a. and sb. In sense 2 also -ide. [f. L. cancer, cancr- crab + -OID. In sense 2 after F. cancroïde.]
A. adj. 1. Like the crab in structure.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol. (1828), III. xxxv. 705. In the cancroid spiders.
1852. Dana, Crust., I. 65. These are Cancroid in the … branchial peculiarities.
2. Pathol. Resembling cancer.
1859. Todd, Cycl. Anat., V. 591/1. Of a cancerous or cancroid nature.
1878. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg., I. 513. Cancer of the lips is generally applied to epithelioma or cancroid disease, true cancer or carcinoma being very rare.
B. sb. 1. A crustacean of the crab family.
1852. Dana, Crust., I. 48. The outer antennæ are small, as in the Cancroids.
2. A disease resembling cancer; also a synonym of epithelial cancer.
1851. in Mayne, Expos. Lex.
1859. Todd, Cycl. Anat., V. 593/2. Scirrhous or Hard Cancer and Cancroid are by no means so common.
1872. T. G. Thomas, Dis. Women, 519. Malignant disease may affect the uterus in two forms, cancer and cancroid.
