holism

[ hoh-liz-uh m ]
/ ˈhoʊ lɪz əm /

noun

Philosophy. the theory that whole entities, as fundamental components of reality, have an existence other than as the mere sum of their parts. Compare organicism(def 1).
Also holiatry. Medicine/Medical. care of the entire patient in all aspects of well-being, including physical, psychological, and social.
Psychology. any psychologic system postulating that the human mind must be studied as a unit rather than as a sum of its individual parts.

Origin of holism

hol- + -ism; term introduced by J.C. Smuts in Holism and Evolution (1926)

OTHER WORDS FROM holism

ho·list, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH holism

holism wholism

Words nearby holism

holidaymaker, holier-than-thou, holily, holiness, holinshed, holism, holistic, holistic medicine, holkar state, holkham hall, holla

British Dictionary definitions for holism

holism
/ (ˈhəʊlɪzəm) /

noun

any doctrine that a system may have properties over and above those of its parts and their organization
the treatment of any subject as a whole integrated system, esp, in medicine, the consideration of the complete person, physically and psychologically, in the treatment of a disease See also alternative medicine
philosophy one of a number of methodological theses holding that the significance of the parts can only be understood in terms of their contribution to the significance of the whole and that the latter must therefore be epistemologically prior Compare reductionism, atomism (def. 2)

Word Origin for holism

C20: from holo- + -ism

Medical definitions for holism

holism
[ hō′lĭz′əm ]

n.

The theory that living matter or reality is made up of organic or unified wholes that are greater than the simple sum of their parts.
A holistic investigation or system of treatment.

Other words from holism

ho•lis′tic (hō-lĭs′tĭk) adj.