Meaning

noun medical practice and advice based on observation and experience in ignorance of scientific findings

noun the dishonesty of a charlatan

originEtymology tree Middle Dutch quacsalven Dutch quacksalverbor. English quacksalverclip. English quack Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzijos Latin -āriusnom. Latin -ārius Old French -ier Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Old French -ie Old French -eriebor. Middle English -erie English -ery English quackery From quack + -ery.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0