Definition

The practice or behavior of someone who pretends to have medical skills or knowledge but does not; often involves deceitful or fraudulent claims about health treatments.

Example

Many people fell victim to the quackism of the so-called healer who promised miraculous cures.

Conversation

I read an article about quackism in alternative medicine.

Really? What did it say about it?

It mentioned how some people fall for quackism without realizing it.

That's so true; we have to be careful about what we believe.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Quackism is formed from "quack" (from Dutch "kwak", meaning a charlatan or fraudulent practitioner) and "-ism" (a suffix used to denote a practice or philosophy). The term refers to the practice or belief in quackery, particularly in medicine.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'quack' as someone pretending to be a doctor, and '-ism' indicates a practice or belief. This helps you remember that 'quackism' refers to the practice of fraudulent medical practices.

Visually Confused Words