holistic
adjective
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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
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.
Mind Share Partners, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
The Soho Health Club will provide a full range of holistic wellness offerings, including a gym, yoga deck, sauna, steam room, and ice baths.
—Monica Mendal, Vogue, 13 May 2025
Succession planting is a holistic approach to constructing a garden’s planting plan for the growing season and beyond.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2025
In New York, Nia Long, Charlamagne Tha God, Dwyane Wade, and Tracee Ellis Ross took center stage at the 2025 New York Times Well Festival, speaking candidly about health, healing, and holistic success.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for holistic
Cite this Entry
“Holistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holistic. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
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holistic
adjective
hol- + -istic
Medical Definition
holistic
adjective
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