[n. ak-yoo-puhngk-cher; v. ak-yoo-puhngk-cher, ak-yoo-puhngk-] 
noun, verb, -tured, -tur⋅ing.| 1. | a Chinese medical practice or procedure that treats illness or provides local anesthesia by the insertion of needles at specified sites of the body. |
| 2. | to perform acupuncture on. |
| ac·u·punc·ture (āk'yŏŏ-pŭngk'chər) n. A procedure used in or adapted from Chinese medical practice in which specific body areas are pierced with fine needles for therapeutic purposes or to relieve pain or produce regional anesthesia. tr.v. ac·u·punc·tured, ac·u·punc·tur·ing, ac·u·punc·tures To subject to acupuncture. [Latin acus, needle; see ak- in Indo-European roots + puncture.] ac'u·punc'tur·ist n. |
acupuncture ac·u·punc·ture (āk'yə-pŭngk'chər)
n.
A procedure in which specific body areas associated with peripheral nerves are pierced with fine needles to produce anesthesia, relieve pain, and promote therapy.
acupuncture (āk'y -pŭngk'chər) Pronunciation Key
The practice of inserting thin needles into the body at specific points to relieve pain, treat a disease, or anesthetize a body part during surgery. Acupuncture has its origin in traditional Chinese medicine and has been in use for more than 5,000 years. |