oncogenic
adjective
on·co·gen·ic
ˌäŋ-kō-ˈje-nik 
1
: relating to tumor formation
2
: tending to cause tumors
Examples of oncogenic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Senescence is a natural process of replicative arrest that prevents an oncogenic transformation of aberrant cells.
—
Salvatore Viscomi, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023
The oncogenic mutation in the proto-oncogene converts one of the amino acids in the cell, glycine, into cystine.
—Connor Lynch, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2022
Scientists can’t fully control where in the body its genes are introduced; Bluebird tried to determine whether its gene had been inserted into an oncogenic location—a place with cancer-causing potential.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2022
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Salvatore Viscomi, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023
The oncogenic mutation in the proto-oncogene converts one of the amino acids in the cell, glycine, into cystine.
—Connor Lynch, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2022
Scientists can’t fully control where in the body its genes are introduced; Bluebird tried to determine whether its gene had been inserted into an oncogenic location—a place with cancer-causing potential.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Oncogenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oncogenic. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
oncogenic
adjective
on·co·gen·ic
-ˈjen-ik
variants
also oncogenous
1
: relating to tumor formation
2
: tending to cause tumors
an oncogenic virus
oncogenic tars
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