Therapeutics
/ˌθer.əˈpjuː.tɪks/noun
The branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease and relief of symptoms.
Did you know?Therapeutics ultimately comes from Greek θεραπευτικός (therapeutikos), from θεραπεύειν (therapeuein), meaning not just “to treat” but originally “to serve” or “attend” a person, often in a healing or devotional sense.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dher-
“to hold, support, or keep”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θεραπεύειν (therapeuein)
“to attend, serve, take care of, treat medically”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θεραπευτικός (therapeutikos)
“fit for healing or treatment; serving as a healer”
Late Latin
Latin
therapeuticus
“pertaining to medical treatment”
16th Century
English
therapeutic
“relating to the healing of disease”
Modern English
English
therapeutics
“the branch of medicine concerned with treatment”
Explore more surprising origins