chemotherapy

/ˌkiːməʊˈθɛɹəpi/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: chemotherapies

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Any chemical treatment intended to be therapeutic with respect to a disease state.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

chemical treatment to kill or halt the replication and/or spread of cancerous cells in a patient.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “chemotherapy” mean?

Any chemical treatment intended to be therapeutic with respect to a disease state.

Is “chemotherapy” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.