homeopathic

adjective

ho·​meo·​path·​ic ˌhō-mē-ə-ˈpa-thik 

1

: of or relating to homeopathy or homeopathic medicine

homeopathic remedies

Another homeopathic dictum, the "law of infinitesimals", states that the smaller the dose, the more powerful the effect.

—Leon Jaroff

2

: of a diluted or insipid nature

He was probably a homeopathic abolitionist …

—William Allen White

Charley, please give a world of my respect & esteem to Miss Ida, & a homeopathic dose of my love.

—Mark Twain

homeopathically

ˌhō-mē-ə-ˈpa-thi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

a homeopathically prepared treatment

Examples of homeopathic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All claims made by the company are based on traditional homeopathic evidence and have not been confirmed by health authorities. —Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 29 Feb. 2024

Although Breen's penalty is a first in New York, a California doctor was arrested in 2021 for falsifying Covid vaccination records after administering similar homeopathic pellets. —Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2024

In December, the king appointed physician Michael Dixon, who advocates the use of homeopathic remedies alongside conventional treatment, to lead the medical office in the Royal Household. —William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2024

Enlarge / Vials containing pills for homeopathic remedies are displayed at Ainsworths Pharmacy on August 26, 2005, in London. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 18 Jan. 2024

Of course people turn to homeopathic remedies, because diseases are agonizing and medical treatments aren’t always effective. —Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2024

The agency warned that all drops labeled homeopathic should not be sold. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Dec. 2023

At dinner, Smith kept turning away to cough, and each time, Stipe would tactfully pass an open container of homeopathic lozenges across the table. —Jon Mooallem, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2023

Acne One small study that used a homeopathic preparation of burdock found improvements in the number and types of pimples and quality of life scores.11 This was an observational study, meaning there was no control group to compare results. —Megan Nunn, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 21 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

homeo- + -pathic, after German homöopathisch

Note: The German adjective was introduced by Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), the founder of homeopathy, probably first in the essay "Fingerzeige auf den homöopathischen Gebrauch der Arzeien in der bisherigen Praxis," Journal der practischen Arzneykunde und Wundarzneykunst, edited by C. W. Hufeland, Band 26, 2. Theil (1807), pp. 5-43. Upon introducing the word, Hahnemann defines it in a footnote: "Homöopathisch ist, was ein ὅμοιον πάθος, ein ähnliches Leiden zu erzeugen Tendenz hat" ("Homeopathic is that which tends to produce a hómoion páthos, a similar suffering") (p. 8). See also allopathic.

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing homeopathic

• homeopathic medicine

Medical Definition

homeopathic

adjective

ho·​meo·​path·​ic

variants or British homoeopathic

ˌhō-mē-ə-ˈpath-ik 

: of or relating to homeopathy or homeopathic medicine

homeopathic methods

Homeopathic remedies are derived from plants (chamomile, poison ivy, rue), minerals (sulfur, iron, mercury), or animals (squid ink, bee venom) prepared as highly dilute solutions.

—Andrew Weil, Self Healing

homeopathically adverb

or British homoeopathically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

homeopathically diluted solutions