folk medicine

noun

: traditional medicine as practiced nonprofessionally especially by people isolated from modern medical services and usually involving the use of plant-derived remedies on an empirical basis

Examples of folk medicine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Kratom has traditionally been used in Southeast Asia for centuries as a folk medicine and mild stimulant. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2022 Instead of making the cleansing of impure spirits the exclusive domain of a shadowy arm of the Church that answers to the Vatican, the movie throws in Pentecostal holy rollers, spiritual healing methods and folk medicine rooted in African culture and — God save us — the power of group solidarity. —

David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 It’s been used for thousands of years in traditional and folk medicine to treat a range of issues from bronchitis to skin infections. —

Katie Camero, NBC News, 5 Aug. 2023 Rachel Yoder returns to the land of her family’s Amish roots, seeking folk medicine and answers. —

Peter Rubin, Longreads, 11 July 2023 The pills are made with maca, an herb used in folk medicine for centuries, as well as several other natural ingredients. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2023 Discover skills of ancestral folk medicine making. —

oregonlive, 3 June 2022 In a truly slow-and-steady buffalo-like gesture, local Asian American folk medicine experts Adrian Chang and Erin Wilkins will be hosting a dumpling making class and fundraiser on Feb. 20, which will benefit Oakland Chinatown organization GoodGoodEatz. —

Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Feb. 2021 This yellow-flowered plant—presumably called that after being used to treat the wounds of knights in the Eastern Crusades—was introduced to the Americas, Africa, and Australia from Europe and Asia, and has been a part of folk medicine for years. —

Sandra Gutierrez G., Popular Science, 25 Jan. 2021 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of folk medicine was in 1878

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Folk medicine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/folk%20medicine. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

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Kids Definition

folk medicine

noun

: traditional medicine that usually involves the use of plant-based remedies especially by people isolated from modern medical services

Medical Definition

folk medicine

noun

ˈfōk-

: traditional medicine as practiced especially by people isolated from modern medical services and usually involving the use of plant-derived remedies on an empirical basis compare home remedy