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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To a certain extent, The Darjeeling Limited is an unseemly act of spiritual tourism, no better than Eat Pray Love or countless other films about privileged white Americans turning a foreign landscape into the site of their holistic transformation. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 June 2025 In my experience, this kind of cross-departmental representation helps ensure holistic decision-making by bringing together diverse perspectives from IT, legal, risk management and business operations. Victor Orlovski, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 Joe Deutsch, the president of the Society of Health and Physical Educators and a professor in health, nutrition and exercise sciences at North Dakota State, explained that the shift is a reflection of the holistic change in physical education as a whole. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 June 2025 Rikki Clark McCoy, founder of Flourishing Minds LLC and a certified holistic therapist, believes that the concept is genuine and has sat with countless clients who describe an unshakable connection to someone—an ex, a friend, a past version of themselves. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for holistic

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

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Cite this Entry

“Holistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holistic. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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

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