oncology

noun

on·​col·​o·​gy än-ˈkä-lə-jē 

äŋ-

: a branch of medicine concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and study of cancer

oncological

ˌäŋ-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

or oncologic

ˌäŋ-kə-ˈlä-jik 

oncologist

än-ˈkä-lə-jist 

äŋ-

noun

Examples of oncology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The new campus will expand access to specialty and services, including an emergency department, ICU, oncology center and a comprehensive women’s health program, including a labor and delivery unit and children’s services. —Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025

The target isotope, copper-67, is a highly valuable asset in oncology. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Nov. 2025

The center will house services including primary care, oncology, orthopedics, cardiology, diagnostics and imaging, including MRI. —Christina Hall, Freep.com, 21 Nov. 2025

The company picked up another oncology asset on Monday with the announcement of its acquisition of Halda Therapeutics. —Jeff Marks, CNBC, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

onco- + -logy

First Known Use

circa 1857, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for oncology

• anthology
• apology
• astrology
• biology
• christology
• chronology
• conchology
• cosmology
• cryptology
• cytology
• doxology
• ecology

Kids Definition

oncology

noun

on·​col·​o·​gy än-ˈkäl-ə-jē 

: a branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of tumors

Medical Definition

oncology

noun

on·​col·​o·​gy än-ˈkäl-ə-jē, äŋ- 

plural oncologies

: a branch of medicine concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and study of cancer

oncological

ˌäŋ-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

also oncologic

-ik