alternative medicine

noun

: any of various systems of healing or treating disease (such as chiropractic, homeopathy, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula of the U.S. and Britain

Examples of alternative medicine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In November 2016, Epstein shared a link to a news article to Chopra, the Indian-American author and prominent figure in alternative medicine. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025

This practice of nasal irrigation originated in the Ayurvedic tradition, which is a system of alternative medicine from India dating back more than 5,000 years. —Mary J. Scourboutakos, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025

Grant soon moved on, partnering with Gaia, a media company that streams content about alternative medicine and spirituality, to offer another version of his AI model. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025

One recent study showed that, among people with an autoimmune condition, more than 80 percent have tried some form of complementary and alternative medicine. —Jason Liebowitz, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alternative medicine

• biomedicine
• telemedicine

Kids Definition

alternative medicine

noun

: any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as herbal medicine) involving approaches not customarily taught or practiced in the U.S.

Medical Definition

alternative medicine

noun

: any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as homeopathy, chiropractic, naturopathy, Ayurveda, or faith healing) that are not included in the traditional curricula taught in medical schools of the United States and Britain