Word
chemotherapy
Phoneticschemo·ther·apy
US/ˌkimoʊˈθɛɹəpi/
UK/kˌiːməʊθˈɛɹəpi/
Definitions
01cancer treatment
n. a medical treatment using powerful drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing.
n. the use of cytotoxic drugs to destroy or inhibit the growth of malignant cells in the treatment of cancer.
“She felt very tired after her second round of chemotherapy at the hospital.”
“The oncologist recommended a combination of surgery and chemotherapy to ensure that any remaining microscopic cancer cells were eradicated.”
Technical
Usage
Often shortened to 'chemo' in informal conversation; usually functions as an uncountable noun but can be countable when referring to specific regimens.
Synonyms
02general chemical treatment
n. any treatment for a disease that uses chemical substances.
n. the treatment of disease by means of chemical substances that have a specific toxic effect upon the microorganisms or other causes of the disease.
“In its broadest sense, chemotherapy includes the use of antibiotics to fight infections.”
“The historical development of chemotherapy began with the search for 'magic bullets' that could target specific pathogens without harming the host organism.”
Technical · Formal
Usage
In modern contexts, this broader meaning is rare and almost exclusively found in academic or historical medical texts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“However, patients taking daraxonrasib were far less likely to stop treatment due to severe side effects compared to chemotherapy, and they had improved quality of life with reduced pain.” “About 44% of patients on daraxonrasib experienced severe side effects, compared to 57.5% treated with chemotherapy in the trial.” “Created while Ed was undergoing chemotherapy, the works carry a sense of urgency: Daniel remembers him crouching on the floor, applying pigments directly with his fingers.” Etymology
From chemo- + therapy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/chemotherapy