alternative medicine

American  

1. healthcare and treatment practices, including traditional Chinese medicine, chiropractic, folk medicine, and naturopathy, that minimize or eschew the use of surgery and drugs.

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alternative medicine British  

noun

1. another name for complementary medicine See also holism

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alternative medicine Scientific  

/ ôl-tûr′nə-tĭv /

1. A variety of therapeutic or preventive health-care practices that are not typically taught or practiced in traditional medical communities and offer treatments that differ from standard medical practice. Homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture are types of alternative medicine.

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alternative medicine Cultural  

1. Medical practice or therapy that uses methods that have not been associated with the traditional, standard care most generally taught and executed by AMA-certified medical schools.

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Alternative medicine includes practices such as acupuncture, naturopathy, and chiropractic, as well as such therapies as chelation therapy, homeopathic remedies, and biofeedback. There has been an explosion of interest in alternative medicine in recent years.

Etymology

Origin of alternative medicine

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Government officials hosted an eclectic mix of wealthy philanthropists, alternative medicine influencers, health tech executives, and medical researchers to discuss a wide range of issues, from Lyme disease to gut health.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

Means opened a practice focused on functional medicine, a form of alternative medicine, and began recommending supplements and blood tests on social media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

For the Milla character, Strauss researched orthorexia, an eating disorder in which people are obsessed with “healthy” food, and also delved into the history of alternative medicine retreats like the one Milla visits in Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2025

Neither Mr Carr-Gomm or Ms Stoynova are against alternative medicine and therapies – but want to warn others to be careful.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2024

A growing interest in alternative medicine from Western markets also suggests demand will continue rising.

From National Geographic • Jan. 4, 2024