holistic

adjective

ho·​lis·​tic hō-ˈli-stik How to pronounce holistic (audio)
1
: of or relating to holism
2
: relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts
holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body
holistic ecology views humans and the environment as a single system
holistically adverb

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Look at the Big Picture With Holistic

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" expresses the essence of holism, a term coined by the great South African general and statesman Jan Smuts in 1926. Holism generally opposes the Western tendency toward analysis, the breaking down of wholes into parts sometimes to the point that "you can't see the forest for the trees". Holism is an important concept in the sciences and social sciences, and especially in medicine. Holistic medicine tries to treat the "whole person" rather than focusing too narrowly on single symptoms. It emphasizes the connections between the mind and the body, avoids the overuse of drugs, and has borrowed such practices from Eastern traditions as acupuncture and yoga.

Examples of holistic in a Sentence

In a world of specialization, we have been trained to think of medicine as a separate world—when we are sick, we go to doctors and follow their advice. This is starting to change, with the increasing popularity of alternative and holistic approaches to overall health and well-being. Gareth Cook, Boston Globe, 9 June 2002
The Gaia hypothesis is certainly top-down and holistic, and it's now generally accepted … Organisms have not just adapted to different physical environments; they also modify and improve the environment for their own good—just like people. Tom Ghaffin, Natural History, October 1998
People with supermarket carts. When did these things come out of the stores and into the streets. She saw these things everywhere … filled with living trivia, the holistic dregs of everything if that is correctly put. Don DeLillo, Mao II, 1991
Holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body. We need to take a more holistic approach to improving our schools.
Recent Examples on the Web With this new feature, BLK aimed to understand the holistic importance of spring break for all Black students. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024 As opposed to a weight-centric approach, this holistic model promotes safe and equitable health care for everyone regardless of their body size. Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 21 Mar. 2024 Solomon explained the idea is to take a holistic approach that focuses not just on a student's academic success, but also one that provides emotional support and guidance when needed. Elaine Quijano, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2024 The space, housed in a former villa, is led by a holistic farm-to-spa concept and offers face and body treatments with plants and herbs grown on-site. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024 In the Indian Ayurvedic holistic medicine tradition, this contact with this metal is thought to improve the skin's pH balance, which is thought to have the potential to prevent acne and contribute to better skin texture. Isabella Ubaldi, Health, 20 Mar. 2024 Using a holistic approach that includes regular exercise and other lifestyle tweaks, Winfrey added a weight-loss medication to her regimen last year. Elizabeth Leonard, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Her future goals are to double major in anthropology and journalism, with a minor in mathematics, to obtain a holistic education. Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Mar. 2024 As gatekeepers to the profession, medical school admissions committees and pre-health advisers must confront their own biases and embrace a holistic admissions approach that considers hardships experienced by applicants. Tricia Pendergrast, STAT, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holistic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

hol(ism) + -istic

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of holistic was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near holistic

Cite this Entry

“Holistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holistic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

holistic

adjective
ho·​lis·​tic hō-ˈlis-tik How to pronounce holistic (audio)
: relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the individual parts
holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body
Etymology

hol- + -istic

Medical Definition

holistic

adjective
ho·​lis·​tic hō-ˈlis-tik How to pronounce holistic (audio)
1
: of or relating to holism
2
: relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts
holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body
holistically adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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