onc/o
tumor
From Greek onkos, mass, bulk, lump
Meaning
What does onc/o mean?
onc/o is a root meaning tumor. It comes from Greek onkos, mass, bulk, lump.
Inside words it is spelled onc.
Onc/o literally means a mass or tumor, benign or malignant, but oncology in practice is the care of people with cancer.
In real words
Medical words with onc/o
the branch of medicine that diagnoses and treats cancer
a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer
causing or tending to cause tumors, as an oncogenic virus
Don't mix it up
Parts easily confused with onc/o
In the dictionary
More terms built with it
Terms in our life science dictionary that list onc/o among their word parts.
Sources
Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- MedlinePlus: Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean
- ONCO- Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
- onco- - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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Cells, tissues and the body
onc/o is one of 14 parts in this lesson. Learn them together, then take real words apart.
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