n. [ OE. canker, cancre, AS. cancer (akin to D. kanker, OHG chanchar.), fr. L. cancer a cancer; or if a native word, cf. Gr. &unr_; excrescence on tree, &unr_; gangrene. Cf. also OF. cancre, F. chancere, fr. L. cancer. See cancer, and cf. Chancre. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 1. A corroding or sloughing ulcer; esp. a spreading gangrenous ulcer or collection of ulcers in or about the mouth; -- called also water canker, canker of the mouth, and noma. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Anything which corrodes, corrupts, or destroy. [ 1913 Webster ] The cankers of envy and faction. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. (Hort.) A disease incident to trees, causing the bark to rot and fall off. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. (Far.) An obstinate and often incurable disease of a horse's foot, characterized by separation of the horny portion and the development of fungoid growths; -- usually resulting from neglected thrush. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. A kind of wild, worthless rose; the dog-rose. [ 1913 Webster ] To put down Richard, that sweet lovely rose.
And plant this thorm, this canker, Bolingbroke. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Black canker. See under Black. [ 1913 Webster ]
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