oncogenic

/ˌɒŋkoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/

//ˌɒŋkoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"oncogenic" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“oncogenic” is uncommon English (frequency #77,050 among 15,494 “O” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#77,050
frequency rank, English
15,494
“O” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Causing the formation of tumors.

Key facts for oncogenic
PropertyValue
Headwordoncogenic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌɒŋkoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#77,050
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “oncogenic” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). oncogenic lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

oncogenic is uncommon English at frequency #77,050 among 15,494 “O” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌɒŋkoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for oncogenic in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From onco- (“tumor”) + -genic (“producing”). The correct English form is oncogenic, spelled O-N-C-O-G-E-N-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Causing the formation of tumors.
  2. 2
    Arising from or caused by a tumor: tumor-induced.

Etymology

From onco- (“tumor”) + -genic (“producing”).

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "oncogenic"?
"oncogenic" is spelled O-N-C-O-G-E-N-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɒŋkoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/.
What does "oncogenic" mean?
As an adjective, "oncogenic" means: Causing the formation of tumors.
How do you pronounce "oncogenic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "oncogenic" is /ˌɒŋkoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "oncogenic"?
From onco- (“tumor”) + -genic (“producing”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “oncogenic”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-N-C-O-G-E-N-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɒŋkoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list