A combining form meaning 'hand,' used to create words related to hands, hand treatments, or manual manipulation.
From Greek 'cheir' (χείρ) meaning 'hand.' This prefix became widely used in English during the late 1800s for new medical and therapeutic practices.
The prefix 'chiro-' exploded in popularity during the Industrial Age when chiropractors, chiropodists, and chirurgeons offered alternatives to surgery—all literally promising 'hand-based' healing.
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