Hippocratic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, or his writings or teachings.
The word rheumatology comes from the Greek rheuma and is mentioned in Hippocratic texts.
-
of or relating to the set of professional and ethical commitments traditionally made by those entering the practice of medicine, inspired by Hippocrates and his writings.
In the White Coat Ceremony, students recite the Hippocratic oath and are symbolically sworn into the medical profession.
Etymology
Origin of Hippocratic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Doctors take a Hippocratic oath to do good, not harm, and put their patients first.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
A political version of the Hippocratic oath—first, do no harm—would be a good place to start.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
"I have said it before and I'll say it again: I am not a poisoner... I have always upheld the Hippocratic oath," he stated.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025
Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, made during Tuesday’s oral arguments.
From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2024
The laws of medicine fit within this wider structure of laws, and the fundamental law of medicine is the ancient Hippocratic principle that opposites cure opposites—a fever is cured by cooling the body, for example.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
