Macrobiotic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to a dietary philosophy that focuses on natural and unrefined foods, often aiming for physical and emotional well-being through balanced nutrition
2. Concerning a lifestyle that promotes healthy eating practices by favoring whole grains and natural foods to achieve harmony in health
3. Pertaining to a dietary approach that emphasizes the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods for promoting wellness and sustaining a balanced lifestyle

Etymology: Macrobiotic is built from two Greek elements: "makros" meant "long" or "large," and "biotikos" related to life, from "bios." The Greek roots were combined into a modern compound, so the word is a coinage rather than something ancient Greek speakers used. Its formation is plain, and the surprise lies in the combination: "long life" was the goal behind the term. The prefix "macro-" passed into English in its scientific use, where it means large or long, and "-biotic" comes from the Greek "bios," life, which also gives English words such as "biology." Together the parts describe something that concerns long life. The word entered English as a formal, technical term, and its current sense of a diet of whole, unprocessed foods developed from that broader idea of life and longevity.

Synonyms: organic, natural