reiki
UK[ˈreɪ.ki]US[ˈreɪ.ki]
n
A healing technique based on the principle that the practitioner can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being.
Etymology
Reiki is a modern English loanword taken directly from Japanese. In Japanese, the term is composed of the kanji 霊 (rei), meaning "spirit, soul, or supernatural," and 気 (ki), meaning "energy, life force, or atmosphere." The system was developed in the early 20th century by Mikao Usui. The term entered English vocabulary in the latter half of the 20th century alongside the practice's growing popularity in the West, retaining its original Japanese spelling and holistic meaning related to spiritual life-force energy.
Analysis
The word 'reiki' is a direct borrowing from Japanese and functions as a single, unanalyzable unit in English. It is not productively formed from smaller, meaningful English morphemes.
Examples
She felt deeply relaxed after her first reiki session.
The practitioner trained for years to master the art of reiki.
Many people use reiki as a complementary therapy for stress reduction.