1. Choosing what is best or preferred from a variety of sources, ideas, or styles.
2. Made up of elements from various sources.
3. Not following any one system, as of philosophy, medicine, etc.; but selecting and using what are considered the best elements of all systems.
4. Noting or pertaining to works of architecture, decoration, landscaping, etc., produced by a certain person or during a certain period, that derive from a wide range of historic styles.

The style in each instance often being chosen for its fancied appropriateness to local tradition, local geography, the purpose to be served, or the cultural background of the client.

5. Etymology: from French eclectique, from Greek eklektikos, "selective"; literally, "picking out", from eklektos, "selected"; from eklegein, "to pick out, to select"; from ek, "out" + legein, "to gather, to choose". Originally a group of ancient philosophers who selected doctrines from every system available to them.

A branch of alternative medicine which makes use of herbal remedies along with other remedies.

The term was coined by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque (1784-1841), a physician living among the Native Americans, and observing their use of medicinal plants.

He coined the word "eclectic" to refer to those physicians who adopted in practice whatever was found to be beneficial to their patients.

The Eclectics were doctors with a philosophy of "alignment with nature", learning from and using concepts from other schools, and opposing the practices of bleeding, purging, and the use of mecuricals common among the "regular" doctors of that time.

Someone of a class of practitioners of medicine, who select their modes of practice and medicines from all schools; formerly, sometimes the same as a botanic physician.