noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:HH AY2 D R OW0 TH EH1 R AH0 P IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Any of various techniques that use water, either externally or internally, for the treatment of disease and for the soothing of pain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: alternative-medicine, medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
the internal and external use of water in the treatment of disease
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hydropathy
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: treatment, intervention
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Hellenic *údōr Ancient Greek ῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr) Ancient Greek ῠ̔δρο- (hŭdro-)der. English hydro- Proto-Indo-European *treb-der.? Ancient Greek θερᾰ́πων (therắpōn) Ancient Greek -εύς (-eús) Ancient Greek -εύω (-eúō) Ancient Greek θεραπεύω (therapeúō) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh2 Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ία (-ía) Ancient Greek θεραπεία (therapeía)bor. New Latin therapīabor. English therapy English hydrotherapy From hydro- + therapy.
Across languages
Translations
24 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
hidroteràpia
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Chinese Mandarin:
水療 /水疗
(shuǐliáo)
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Czech:
vodoléčba
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Dutch:
watertherapie
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Esperanto:
hidroterapio
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Finnish:
vesiterapia
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Finnish:
vesihoito
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
French:
hydrothérapie
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
German:
Hydrotherapie
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
German:
Wasserheilkunde
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
German:
Hydropathie
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Hebrew:
הידרותרפיה
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Hungarian:
hidroterápia
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Ido:
hidroterapio
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Italian:
idroterapia
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Japanese:
水療法
(mizu ryōhō)
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Japanese:
水治療
(mizu chiryō)
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Polish:
wodolecznictwo
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Polish:
hydroterapia
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Portuguese:
hidroterapia
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Russian:
гидротерапи́я
(gidroterapíja)
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Russian:
водолече́ние
(vodolečénije)
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Spanish:
hidroterapia
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease
Thai:
วารีบําบัด
(waa-rii-bam-bàt)
— technique that uses water for the treatment of disease