adjective
holistic
huh-LIHS-tihk
adjective
1
Considering something as a complete, interconnected whole rather than breaking it into separate parts.
"The clinic takes a holistic approach, treating diet, sleep, and stress together."
"A holistic view of the economy looks at more than just one industry."
How to Use Holistic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLooking at the whole picture rather than just one piece of it.
Common mistake
Often used loosely in wellness marketing to mean "natural" or "alternative," which isn't quite its original, more general meaning of "whole-picture thinking."
Common pairings
holistic approach
holistic view
holistic medicine
Word Forms
more holistic comparative, most holistic superlative
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The clinic takes a _____ approach, treating diet, sleep, and stress together.
Etymology
Formed from "hol-" (whole) plus the adjective suffix "-istic," related to "holism."
Rhymes for holistic
sadistic
artistic
autistic
logistic
statistic
realistic
ballistic
linguistic
futuristic
optimistic
altruistic
simplistic
See all rhymes for holistic →