allopathy
allopathy — noun
1. a word used mainly by followers of alternative medicine (such as homeopathy or t
a word used mainly by followers of alternative medicine (such as homeopathy or traditional Chinese medicine) to refer to the mainstream, hospital-based medical system that most doctors practise
The herbal medicine pamphlet described allopathy as a system that treats symptoms rather than the whole person.
Some alternative health websites contrast allopathy with naturopathy, claiming the latter is gentler.
contrast allopathy with naturopathy
A guest speaker on the wellness podcast used the term allopathy to refer to emergency hospital care.
- conventional medicine
neutral term; does not carry the alternative-medicine framing that 'allopathy' does
- Western medicine
common in East Asian contexts; refers broadly to the same system
- evidence-based medicine
more precise; emphasises scientific validation over tradition or theory
- alternative medicine
umbrella term for non-mainstream practices such as acupuncture, homeopathy, or herbalism
- homeopathy
specifically the system that coined 'allopathy' as a contrasting label
用法筆記
Frequently used within alternative-medicine communities, this sense carries an implied contrast with homeopathy and other non-mainstream therapies. In neutral or scientific contexts, 'conventional medicine' or 'Western medicine' is more common and avoids that ideological framing.
常見錯誤
2. the established system of medical practice that treats disease using drugs, surg
the established system of medical practice that treats disease using drugs, surgery, radiation, and other therapies whose effectiveness has been tested through clinical research and shown to produce effects different from the symptoms of the illness itself
Dr. Lin studied allopathy at a teaching hospital in Seoul before moving into public health research.
studied allopathy at a teaching hospital
Allopathy treats strep throat with antibiotics that kill the bacteria causing the infection.
The hospital board decided to integrate allopathy with traditional Chinese medicine for post-surgery recovery plans.
- biomedicine
academic term for the same system; focuses on biological mechanisms
- Western medicine
widely understood, especially in Asia and Africa, though the practice is now global
- conventional medicine
everyday term that does not carry the historical contrast with homeopathy
- complementary medicine
therapies used alongside allopathy, not as a replacement
- traditional medicine
locally rooted healing practices (e.g. TCM, Ayurveda) that predate modern biomedicine
用法筆記
Used globally as the standard of medical care taught in almost all medical schools, this is the mainstream meaning of the word. In everyday conversation, speakers are more likely to say 'medicine' or 'conventional medicine' than 'allopathy'.