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

This achievement exhibited significant effectiveness, resulting in a notable increase in buying activity due to immediate revenue potential in oncology. — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

An algorithm identifies which are most likely to provoke an immune response, and up to 34 of them are used to produced the personalized vaccine, said Jane Healy, head of oncology early development at Merck. — Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Mehnert directs the melanoma medical oncology program at NYU Langone Health. — Aria Bendix, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2026

Staying informed about personal risk, following the care plan developed with an oncology team and discussing new concerns can help survivors regain some sense of control. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 17 Aug. 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