chiropractic

[ kahy-ruh-prak-tik ]

noun
  1. a therapeutic system based primarily upon the interactions of the spine and nervous system, the method of treatment usually being to adjust the segments of the spinal column.

  2. a chiropractor.

Origin of chiropractic

1
1895–1900, Americanism;chiro- + -practic<Greek praktikós;see practical

Words Nearby chiropractic

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How to use chiropractic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for chiropractic

chiropractic

/ (ˌkaɪrəˈpræktɪk) /


noun
  1. a system of treating bodily disorders by manipulation of the spine and other parts, based on the belief that the cause is the abnormal functioning of a nerve

Origin of chiropractic

1
C20: from chiro- + -practic, from Greek praktikos effective, practical

Derived forms of chiropractic

  • chiropractor, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for chiropractic

chiropractic

[ (keye-ruh-prak-tik) ]


A system of treating disease and musculoskeletal disorders that involves manipulation of the backbone and other body parts. In chiropractic, disorders of the nerves are considered the cause of illness.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.