"the scientific study of tumors," 1857, coined in English from onco- "tumor" + -logy "science or study of." Related: Oncologist; oncological.
Entries linking to oncology
onco-
word-forming element meaning "bulk, mass," used from 19c., especially in medical use, "tumor," from Latinized form of Greek ogkos (pronounced "onkos") "bulk, size, mass, weight, swelling," in Modern Greek "tumor," a word of uncertain origin.
-logy
word-forming element meaning "a speaking, discourse, treatise, doctrine, theory, science," from Greek -logia (often via French -logie or Medieval Latin -logia), from -log-, combining form of legein "to speak, tell;" thus, "the character or deportment of one who speaks or treats of (a certain subject);" from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather," with derivatives meaning "to speak (to 'pick out words')." Often via Medieval Latin -logia, French -logie. In philology "love of learning; love of words or discourse," apology, doxology, analogy, trilogy, etc., Greek logos "word, speech, statement, discourse" is directly concerned.