cupping

C3U1P3P3I1N1G2
/ˈkʌpɪŋ/

noun

The operation of drawing blood to or from the surface of the person by forming a partial vacuum over the spot.

Similar
myofascial decompression
OriginMiddle English cupping →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

cupping1

nouncupping (countable and uncountable, plural cuppings)

plural cuppings

  1. archaiccountableuncountablemedicineThe operation of drawing blood to or from the surface of the person by forming a partial vacuum over the spot.
  2. archaiccountableuncountablemedicineA similar operation for drawing pus from an abscess.
  3. countableuncountablemedicineFire cupping, a traditional therapeutic treatment called in which heated cupping glasses are applied to the skin, supposedly to draw blood towards the surface.

    Synonyms: myofascial decompression

  4. countableuncountableThe taking of a small amount of a beverage such as tea or coffee into the mouth in order to taste it; a session where this is done.
  5. countableuncountableThe act of forming something into a cup shape.

    the cupping of one's hands

cupping2

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of cup

Synonyms & antonyms

nounFire cupping, a traditional therapeutic treatment called in which heated cupping glasses are applied to the skin, supposedly to draw blood towards the surface.

Similar
myofascial decompression
Also see
myofascial decompression

Origin

cupping · noun

  1. Middle Englishcupping
  2. Englishcupping

From Middle English cupping, equivalent to cup + -ing.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

cupping · verb

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic حِجَامَة, حَجَامَة
  • حِجَامَة (ḥijāma)therapeutic treatment
  • حَجَامَة (ḥajāma)therapeutic treatment
Chinese Mandarin 拔罐
  • 拔罐 (báguàn)therapeutic treatment
Finnish kuppaaminen, kuppaus
  • kuppaaminentherapeutic treatment
  • kuppaustherapeutic treatment
German Schröpfen
  • Schröpfentherapeutic treatment
Greek βεντούζες
  • βεντούζες (ventoúzes)therapeutic treatment
Icelandic koppasetning, koppsetning (setja einhverjum blóðkoppa)
  • koppasetningtherapeutic treatment
  • koppsetning (setja einhverjum blóðkoppa)therapeutic treatment
Romanian tratament cu ventuze
  • tratament cu ventuzetherapeutic treatment
Swedish koppning
  • koppningtherapeutic treatment
Turkish hacamat
  • hacamattherapeutic treatment

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with cupping

upping
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

cupping. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cupping

MLA

“cupping.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cupping. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cupping,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cupping.

Source: cupping on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.