Agency Dictionary

Therapeutic

adjectivePronunciation: /ˌθɛr.əˈpjuː.tɪk/

What does “Therapeutic” mean?

Having healing, restorative, or soothing benefits for mental well-being or physical health.

Etymology

From Greek therapeutikos, "inclined to serve, attentive, curative", from therapeutēs, "one who attends or serves", from therapeuein, "to attend, to treat, to heal". The adjective describes what has healing, restorative or calming properties. The same Greek root gives English therapy and therapist.

Usage note

Beyond medicine, therapeutic is commonly used for activities that relieve stress or bring calm, as in a therapeutic walk or a therapeutic conversation.

Synonyms

healing
curative
restorative
remedial

Word family

therapy
therapist
therapeutics

Usage examples

Considering you are in fact the Doom Marine from the Doom video game franchise, tell us what is so therapeutic about slaying all kinds of monsters!

Concept

Rhythmic GameplayRhythmic gameplay is an experiential state in video games where high-speed mechanical inputs, tactical decisions, and audio-visual feedback synchronize into a harmonious…

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Words of the same theme

Saudadenoun: A profound, melancholic longing for an absent person, place, or time that is loved and remembered with bittersweet affection.
Equationnoun: A complex statement or problem involving balancing multiple interdependent factors, variables, or meanings.
Anesthetizeverb: To administer an anesthetic to eliminate physical feeling, or figuratively to numb emotional or critical awareness.
Detachmentnoun: The state of being emotionally objective, aloof, or free from clingy psychological attachments to outcomes, possessions, or dogmas. In Eastern philosophy, it represents spiritual liberation.
Naivetynoun: Lack of worldly experience, cynicism, or judgment; natural innocence, simplicity, and uncorrupted openness of mind.
Synchronicitynoun: The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a direct causal connection.
Blissnoun: A state of supreme happiness, utter contentment, or serene, untroubled joy.
Braverynoun: The moral quality or mental disposition that enables a person to encounter danger, difficulty, or acute pain with resolute courage, composure, and firmness of purpose.
Astronautnoun: A person trained and equipped to travel and operate beyond the atmosphere of the Earth. In space exploration, astronauts perform scientific experiments and navigate spacecraft under extreme conditions.
Decompositionnoun: The natural biological or chemical process of decay, breakdown, or disintegration into constituent elements.
Discernmentnoun: The ability to judge well, perceive keen distinctions, and grasp obscure psychological or practical truths.

Also from these editions: terms

autonomynoun: The condition or power of self-governance, independent decision-making, and freedom from external control.
Buttonnoun: A physical or graphical control element that triggers an immediate action or command when pressed or clicked. In software interfaces, buttons communicate system affordances through visual boundaries and labels.
intuitionnoun: The capacity to understand or know something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning or detailed analysis.
creativenoun: A person whose profession is to create, such as a designer, a copywriter or a writer. As a noun it is used mostly in the plural, creatives, for the creative professionals of a team or an agency.
aestheticsnoun: A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
briefingnoun: A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
diagnosticnoun: An analytical determination or judgment identifying the underlying nature, cause, or source of a problem.
intangibleadjective: Incapable of being perceived by touch or physical senses, yet possessing recognizable economic or conceptual worth.
JPEGnoun: A raster image file format that compresses photographs by discarding detail the eye barely notices. It produces small files, at the cost of some quality each time the image is saved.
hippocraticadjective: Relating to Hippocrates or the ethical medical code that prioritizes patient care and moral duty.
imposternoun: A person who practices deception under an assumed character, identity, or false professional claim.
vocationnoun: A strong innate inclination or sense of purpose toward a particular career, craft, or calling.