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 first one will be at Bellevue Hospital in Kips Bay and have direct access to specialty services, including oncology, cardiology and neurology. —Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026

In a move that will grow its oncology pipeline, Gilead Sciences is spending more than $3 billion to buy the German biotech Tubulis, the companies said Tuesday. —Andrew Joseph, STAT, 7 Apr. 2026

After traveling around to different hospitals and oncology clinics to get her official diagnosis, Adams was finally able to start her treatment on Wednesday, April 1. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026

Goldman Sachs initiates Caris Life Sciences as buy Goldman says the oncology diagnostics company is firing on all cylinders. —Michael Bloom, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026

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