therapeutic

UK: /ˌθɛrəˈpjuːtɪk/ US: /ˌθɛrəˈpjutɪk/ ,(ther′ə pyo̅o̅′tik)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ther•a•peu•tic /ˌθɛrəˈpyutɪk/   adj. Also, ˌther•aˈpeu•ti•cal. 

1. of or relating to therapy:
   a therapeutic drug.
2. serving to maintain or restore health:
   a therapeutic abortion.
3. having a good effect on one's mental state, esp. in serving to relax or calm:
   Playing with the kids was therapeutic after a hard day at the office.

ther•a•peu•ti•cal•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ther•a•peu•tic  (ther′ə pyo̅o̅′tik), adj. Also, ther′a•peu′ti•cal. 

1. of or pertaining to the treating or curing of disease;
   curative.

n. 

2. a therapeutic substance.

• Greek therapeutikós, equivalent. to therapeú(ein) to attend, treat medically (akin to therápōn attendant) + -tikos -tic
• Neo-Latin therapeuticus
• 1535–45

ther′a•peu′ti•cal•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

therapeutic / ˌθɛrəˈpjuːtɪk/ adjective

1. of or relating to the treatment of disease; curative
2. serving or performed to maintain health: therapeutic fasting

Etymology: 17th Century: from New Latin therapeuticus, from Greek therapeutikos, from therapeuein to minister to, from theraps an attendant

ˌtheraˈpeutically adverb