Homeopathy

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Homeopathy

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

hoh-mee-OP-uh-thee  /ˌhəʊmiˈɒpəθi/

Definition

A system of complementary medicine based on the principle that a substance that causes symptoms in healthy people can, when greatly diluted, cure similar symptoms in sick people; the practice of treating disease using highly diluted preparations of substances that in larger doses would produce effects similar to the disease being treated.

Plain meaning

Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine founded on the idea that 'like cures like' — a substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person is used, in extreme dilution, to treat those same symptoms. It was developed in Germany in the late 18th century and remains popular despite lacking scientific support.

Register

Used in medical, scientific, regulatory, and everyday contexts. Neutral in everyday speech; negative in scientific and medical contexts where evidence-based medicine is the standard. Homeopathy remains legal and available in many countries but has been delisted from national health systems in several, including England's NHS, on grounds of lack of efficacy.