quack
- adjective
- /kwæk/
- Offensive
- Many people were misled by the quack doctor who promised miraculous cures with no real evidence.
Examples
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The article warned readers about the dangers of following advice from quack health practitioners.
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If there was one "good" thing about the UCSF manual, it was that it was a bit—shall we say?—reticent about promoting the quackier therapies.
Blog text (8) -
She realized too late that her friend's remedy was based on quack theories that had no scientific backing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Compounds
- UK
A common weed with long stems under the ground that spreads quickly through lawns
How Qualified
Surface Forms
Etymology
Quack as an adjective grew from the old sellers called quacksalver who sold 'salve' and bragged about cures, so calling someone quack means they are not a real doctor but only pretend to be one.