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

Extreme-photographer | E+ | Getty Images Shares of Innovent Biologics rose 10% after the company entered into a deal with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to develop oncology medicines. —Justina Lee, CNBC, 29 May 2026

Dentistry is rife with judgment calls based on preferences, while oncology isn’t. —Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 29 May 2026

And perhaps surprisingly, one of the clearest proving grounds for this evolution isn’t oncology or cardiology. —Dr. Peter Fotinos, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

But many who are eligible for screening are wary of getting a colonoscopy or can't take the time off from work, says Tiago Biachi, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist in the gastrointestinal oncology department at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 27 May 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