holistic

Sometimes who·lis·tic

[hoh-lis-tik]

adjective

1. incorporating the concept of holism, or the idea that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts, in theory or practice.

   holistic psychology.

2. Medicine/Medical.,  of or relating to a form of medicine, such as chiropractic or naturopathy, concerned with the care of the entire person in all aspects of well-being, including the physical, psychological, and social, rather than with diseases and symptoms in isolation, and often using natural or traditional remedies: Her holistic practitioner prescribed dietary changes and some relaxation exercises to reduce the frequency of her migraines.

   Someholistic medicine draws on traditional herbal preparations to maintain the health of different organs of the body.

   Her holistic practitioner prescribed dietary changes and some relaxation exercises to reduce the frequency of her migraines.

holistic

/ həʊˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to a doctrine of holism

2. of or relating to the the medical consideration of the complete person, physically and psychologically, in the treatment of a disease

Other Word Forms

• holistically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of holistic¹

First recorded in 1926; hol(ism) + -istic

Example Sentences

At Centner Wellness, a high-end holistic healing center in Miami that offers a host of treatments employing the latest technology, rich clients occasionally book the whole place for several days, said founder Leila Centner.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Timmons advises patients on supplements as part of a broader focus on holistic health.

Read more on Barron's

"These results are exciting because they suggest we might be able to treat diabetes more holistically," said Dr. Yue Huilan, a senior researcher on the project.

Read more on Science Daily

High Point, meantime, has doubled down on a holistic, values-driven approach.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Eventually, she consulted a functional-medicine doctor, an alternative medical practitioner focused on holistic health, who had her take various blood and urine-based tests.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• comprehensive 
• integrated 

When To Use

What does holistic mean?

Holistic is an adjective that describes things related to the idea that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. In other words, that the entirety of something must be considered instead of just considering its parts.This philosophy is called holism, and that’s where the word holistic comes from. Holistic can be used generally to describe approaches that incorporate elements of holism, but it is especially used in the contexts of psychology and alternative medicine.Example: Chiropractors often take a holistic approach to treating injuries by considering the entire body instead of just the affected area.