therapeutic
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
of or relating to the treatment of disease; curative
-
serving or performed to maintain health
therapeutic abortion
Other Word Forms
- nontherapeutic adjective
- nontherapeutical adjective
- nontherapeutically adverb
- therapeutically adverb
- untherapeutic adjective
- untherapeutical adjective
- untherapeutically adverb
Etymology
Origin of therapeutic
1535–45; < New Latin therapeuticus < Greek therapeutikós, equivalent to therapeú ( ein ) to attend, treat medically (akin to therápōn attendant) + -tikos -tic
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.
A review paper from a few years ago describes klotho protein as a “potential therapeutic target.”
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
“This transaction further diversifies and strengthens our position in oncology as we continue to look for opportunities to broaden our portfolio into other therapeutic areas,” said Merck CEO Robert Davis.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026
The country is the world's largest supplier of generic medicines, producing roughly 60,000 brands across more than 60 therapeutic categories and accounting for around 20% of global generic supply.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
Lawyer for the media organisations, Matthew Lewis, said open justice had a therapeutic effect for raw emotion and it was important the terrorism case is widely reported.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
It is unsettling, at the very least, to give a stranger access to things, like your self-doubts and your urine, that are otherwise shared only in medical or therapeutic situations.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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.
