Where does “precancer” come from?

precancer (English) comes from English Cancer, from Latin cancer, from Proto-Italic kankros, from Proto-Italic karkros, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

precancer (English): Before the onset of cancer; An incipient form of...

Definitions

  1. Before the onset of cancer; An incipient form of...

Ancestry of “precancer”, step by step

precancer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Cancer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishCancerSomeone with a Cancer star sign
2Latincancera crab; a tumor, cancer; a lattice, grid, or...
3Proto-Italickankroscrab
4Proto-Italickarkrosenclosure, barrier
5Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-kr̥-circular
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

via English pre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpreBefore; Precum, Cowper's fluid, pre-ejaculate; To...
2Latinpraebefore; in front; in front of
3Proto-Italicpraibefore; in front of
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
5Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek-Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-kr̥-