English Reference

Word

chiropractor

Phoneticschi·ro·prac·tor

US/ˈkaɪɹəˌpɹæktɝ/

UK/kˈaɪɹəpɹˌæktɐ/

Definition

n. a health professional who treats people by moving the bones in their spine. They believe that these movements can help the body heal itself.

n. a practitioner of a manual therapy that involves the manipulation of the spine and other joints to treat musculoskeletal disorders. The treatment is based on the premise that such manipulations can restore normal function to the nervous system.

Examples

“I saw a chiropractor for my back pain.”

“After the car accident, he visited a chiropractor to ensure his spine was properly aligned.”

“While some patients report immediate relief from chronic neck pain following a session with a chiropractor, the long-term efficacy of spinal manipulation remains a subject of debate within the medical community.”

Examples

simple

“I saw a chiropractor for my back pain.”

contextual

“After the car accident, he visited a chiropractor to ensure his spine was properly aligned.”

complex

“While some patients report immediate relief from chronic neck pain following a session with a chiropractor, the long-term efficacy of spinal manipulation remains a subject of debate within the medical community.”

Real-World Examples

“Owner Brett Masters said Hugo received "a huge amount of care" from a chiropractor, dentist, vet and masseuse, meaning he lived a "five-star lifestyle".”
BBC News · 10 Sept 2026

Etymology

From Ancient Greek χείρ (kheír, “hand”) + πρᾶξις (prâxis, “action, activity, practice”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference